Everything Ends
by EllieCullen0413
Summary: "Do I tell her that the three of us had caused more uproar in this world than it had ever seen before?" What went on behind the Volturi's closed doors? Some guard members still think they're out for good - what happens when they find out they're not? N.M
1. Foundations

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**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of its characters**

_**(AN: Just an idea that was bopping around in my head for a while. I know that some people have written the character of Corin as a male and some as female. Personally, I have a friend called Corin – who's a girl – so I've written her as a female. Just thought I'd use a character who we don't know anything about to show a different perspective of the Volturi.)**_

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_****__Meet me on the equinox..._

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It had been a slow few weeks... as was the norm now. The Volturi were feared throughout our vampire world – and for good reason. Not since the newborn wars a hundred and fifty years ago had we had anything serious to deal with. The vast majority of our kind kept to our rules by fear of being punished. Nobody threatened us, and ever since Jane and Alec joined our force nobody even tried.

Occasionally we had to deal with an individual or small group who got out of hand, or a newborn who did not know the rules. It was something that any of us could have dealt with – easily – but it was always Demetri who lead Felix, Jane or Alec to the perpetrators, rendering the rest of us somewhat useless. But each of us had our purpose; otherwise we would not be here.

I remembered the times when the now famous Volturi consisted of no more than the brothers and their wives, Chelsea, Afton and myself. We did not have the authority that we have now, but we fought for it and eventually built an army more powerful than anyone could ever have imagined. We soon became undeniable. It is now impossible to defeat us, and everyone knows it.

I looked into the window beside me but didn't register the end of the beautiful day past it. Instead my attention was on the reflection looking back at me. I knew the girl well... I had known her for two and a half millennia though she hadn't changed since then. I knew everything about her – on the outside and inside. Her face was perfectly symmetrical, framed by long flowing chestnut hair that curled very gently past her shoulders. Her top lip was thin and delicate, but her bottom was full and voluptuous. Her face was hard, and a smooth pale which contrasted sharply with her crimson eyes.

I inhaled deeply, and the girl in the reflection raised her shoulders. I pulled back my hair, twisting and plaiting it into a smart formation. The girl in the window pane looked almost older now though her youthful features of her twenties would never change.

I smoothed the creases out of my dark grey cloak as I inspected it in the reflection. The edges were frayed and it was torn at the bottom. There were rips beginning to form at my shoulders and waist where the material had eventually worn away through running. As I unbuttoned the thick material I inspected the co-ordinated shirt and long skirt beneath it. It was in an even worse condition, almost unrecognisable from the clothes I _borrowed _from one of our meals a few weeks ago. I would need to get a new one today, perhaps if I caught Heidi before she left – persuade her to go out of her way and find me a stylish female from Florence whose clothes I could fit into.

Fastening the cloak up again, I opened the window and jumped through it, landing on the roof top a few metres below. The sun hadn't set yet so I shouldn't really go and get a replacement now, but we were always expected to look our best. I shouldn't have even let my appearance to get to this state.

I was thirsty today and the smell emanating from the streets below was divine. Of course, I would never even think of hunting inside these walls. Such an act has been prohibited for the last two thousand years. What with our city being so small and inhabiting so many immortals it would have been rather obvious if we were all to hunt its other some-what less significant residents. Discipline – one of the most important aspects of our coven.

As I leapt from the last roof top into the shady passageway I caught a fresh whiff of many humans. The thirst hit me hard. Despite this, my face did not alter. To anyone else – immortal or not – it would not have even appeared as though the thought had crossed my mind. Discipline.

I continued on my path, registering fourteen different scents along the cobbled path, but as I crossed the opening to an adjacent alleyway I sensed something else. An immortal – there was no question about that. But it was not a scent I recognised. This was almost like honey, deep and sweet, a powerful heat but with a delicate flavour.

Automatically, my well trained body stopped in its path and turned to face this intruder. I had not been in this kind of situation for many centuries, and although I would never forget my training, I was out of practice, low on confidence and without back up. My instincts screamed at me to run, but the Volturi did not run. We were always instructed not to fear our demise for a cause that was so much more important than ourselves. However, the fear of dying had gradually diminished over the last few hundred years what with the addition of such offensive abilities. Nobody could even get close to us. But I was not lucky enough to posses such an aggressive ability which would make me feel indestructible... mine was much more subtle. The power of persuasion, two thousand years worth of battle skills and my impressive speed were the only weapons in my own personal arsenal. They would help me sufficiently, and had kept me alive for a long time.

Would he attack? Why hadn't anyone picked him up at the gate? He was almost in the centre of the city now. Thankfully the evening buzz of the humans had finished. Although they were not exactly safe in their homes, at least there were no witnesses around.

But there was something else about the vampire standing those few feet away from me. He was... compelling, as though my eyes couldn't help but look at him. I wondered for a moment if he was talented – perhaps in a similar way to Heidi... a magnetism or pull, an appeal of some sort. He was lean, youthful and... _glum_ and resting his back against one of the alley walls. He was _leaning?_ It made him look almost human. Why was he not standing normally? It made him look _familiar_ somehow, even though I had never seen him before. There was something off about his mannerisms. His hands were fidgeting and his shoulders were shaking as if he was about to erupt with rage. This was a bad idea, I should not be here by myself. My mind evaluated my position in the city and where the nearest watch post was... definitely within hearing distance anyway. Perhaps he had not even seen me here... to a distracted eye it wouldn't have even appeared as though I had stopped yet.

"I'm not going to attack you. I am no threat to you, your coven or masters." He spoke no louder than a whisper as though his voice was hoarse, but it sang beautifully with a melody that would be at home in a room full of grand pianos. His accent was American. He had obviously travelled far to come here. Probably having heard of us and wishing to join us. I laughed internally – my face still as stern, emotionless and professional as before. This was not uncommon, but such immortals failed to realise that if you are in fact special, then _we_ find _you._

The boy had not yet turned to face me, giving me the offensive advantage though his body language suggested that his words were true. I took the opportunity to approach him, placing my hands strongly behind my back – always the professional. As I grew closer he removed himself from the wall and finally rotated his body. The movement made me wary, though his head was still tilted towards the ground. Just to be safe I stopped a few yards away from him, giving me more than enough time to turn and run if his behaviour suddenly changed.

"What is it that you want here young immortal?" I said coldly, not letting him hear an ounce of the fear I had facing him alone.

His eyes flickered to mine momentarily. They were _so_ dark. They almost made his flawless, pale, beautiful face appear unattractive. He was thirsty, that was for sure, making him even more dangerous in our city. However, this meant that once again, I had the advantage. Even though I had not fed in a while, my eyes still burned a deep red, only darkening towards their centres. The darkness in his and the bruise-like marks under them meant he had been without blood for many weeks, if not months, and that would render him weak.

"I wish to speak with Aro." He mumbled once again, completely emotionless. His dark eyes were staring at nothing in particular, as though they were searching for something else.

I felt the left side of my mouth lift into a one-sided smile. "And do you have an appointment?" I smirked.

Oops. It did me no good to break my composure. _"Emotions are a weakness in our kind. Do not show them. Do not even feel them!" _Caius always told us. As soon as it had appeared, it fell back into the poised composition that had been drilled into each of us.

"Aro sees no one apart from his guard." I added calmly about to leave. I had been correct and he wished to join us and did not appear threatening. He was probably a young vampire not fully understanding our functions – wanting the power and the protection, not to aid us in our mission to defend our kind.

I had hoped that he would heed the message and leave our city. But suddenly his body rocked forwards. This was it, his attack was about to begin. Before I had time to tense my body, his hand was on my arm. "Corin..." He breathed. The emotion I first believed he lacked was pouring out of his charcoal eyes that were somehow a bizarre lighter shade than I know mine would have been in his current state of thirst – something I could only see up close. This was not an attack, he was pleading. Begging. Pathetic. He was weak in mind as well as body.

I shook his hand away from me and looked at him aggressively. I was not surprised by the fact he used my name. Did he really believe that name-dropping would give him a free pass in? "I have been a member of this guard for two and a half _thousand _years... I know my name has travelled throughout our kind. So do not pretend that you know me." I said coldly.

He had gone too far by touching me. It would be a good idea to leave. I went to jump towards the roof top above our heads. It would be the safest escape route as it would mean that I would not have to turn my back to him. But before my feet even left the ground his hands were over me, pulling me down.

My instincts kicked in then and a vicious growl erupted from my chest. It was too loud. I pushed the fool away from me while grabbing his throat in one of my hands at the same time. I lifted him above me and smashed him into the wall beside us cracking some of the bricks.

His eyes flashed far above my head as though he had heard something that I had not. I could have sworn that the faintest hint of a smile appeared on his face. Did he have back up of his own? Confused, I turned my head – keeping a firm grip on his throat – and followed his line of sight.

I could hear them then, almost five seconds after he apparently did. Two sets of footsteps heading our way. One was heavy, coming into contact with the rooftops hard and another much lighter, a few steps ahead of the other. I relaxed immediately. It was the unmistakeable sound of Demetri and Felix. They had obviously heard the tussle between myself and the boy in my hands and were coming to deliver their own form of punishment. Rule number one if you want to keep your head in the vicinity of your shoulders: Do not provoke the Volturi.

But this strange immortal was not showing signs of hostility towards me. His arms were still slack by his side. Relaxed even. If he wished to escape his impending doom then he would have at least made an attempt to free himself from my arms. Perhaps I had misunderstood. He did not fight back even though I was sure he could if he wanted to. As I looked into his saddened black eyes I suddenly felt no aggression. I felt... pity. He had done nothing wrong. This desperate boy did not deserve to die today. But he would in about twenty seconds. I looked behind my shoulder again just in time to finally see Demetri and Felix leaping over the roof tops.

I knew what I had to do and that I would get in trouble for it. As soon as Aro would read my thoughts, he would understand that I had been the reason this boy got away. But no rule was broken. Perhaps Aro would not mind. After all, it was not unknown that many of the guard had done worse.

I dropped my hand from his throat and his body fell softly to the ground. "If you value your life, I suggest you leave... now." I said, hoping the poor boy would understand the danger he was in.

But his reaction was not what I expected. He... laughed. Well, not quite. It was more of a scoff. An ironic scoff.

I was confused and my face once again betrayed my training as I looked at him perplexed. I used my ability to try to persuade him to leave.

Very abruptly, his whole body language changed. His face suddenly came alive… he was panicking in a way that resembled someone who was expecting everything, but this. He closed his eyes together tightly and squirmed away from me as though he knew what I was doing. "Corin..." He said again, but this time more desperate. "Do not make me leave. I _need_ to speak with Aro." It was almost as if he didn't want my help... as if he _wanted _to stay here and face his death.

I could hear my fellow guard members approaching closer. They would be here in no more than ten seconds now. I tried to persuade him more and more, but I could tell he was fighting it. If he knew my name then perhaps he knew of my ability and knew what I was doing to him… though people usually had no idea that I was doing anything.

His attempt to fight off my ability was nearly over as I felt his body begin to move away from the sound of the approaching footsteps. He groaned loudly as his fingers scraped deeply into the wall beside him, he was fighting to keep himself in place. "My name is Edward Cullen." He said quickly as though he was out of breath.

I stopped what I was doing and his body finally relaxed. My mouth hung open in complete surprise. Cullen?_ Cullen? _It had been a few hundred years since I had heard that name, or even thought of it. The yellow eyed Carlisle. He had stayed with us for a few decades, but for some reason I could not remember when or why he left us… perhaps I was away? But I did remember that he was a good man... a little _peculiar_ in his hunting techniques... but a moral man – and civilised, which was a rarity in our kind. I had spoken to him on many occasions and for days on end. He was so... _compelling_... a quality which I had also identified within this being in front of me. Did Carlisle create this man, or was his name nothing but a coincidence?

"Yes, Carlisle is my..." He paused for an infinitesimal moment, a moment which a human would not have heard, as though he was re-evaluating his words. "... creator."

Demetri and Felix landed at the same time on the cobbled path behind me. Edward Cullen's time was up.

I took advantage of this new information. It would not only save his skin, but mine as well. Aro would _thank me_ for saving the life of this boy... an immortal who was created by a dear friend of his. The friend of a friend so to speak. Perhaps something was wrong with Carlisle and this boy was the messenger. It would explain why he looked so distraught and vulnerable.

Felix and Demetri were now by my side. I swiftly turned my face back to its usual regimented structure and held out my right hand to stop them from proceeding.

"Stop." I ordered. I tilted my head towards Demetri, who did not look confused by my actions even if he was feeling it inside. "He's a _Cullen..._" I emphasised his last name, knowing that they both recognised it. They too had been present when Carlisle stayed with us, though they weren't quite as fond of him.

I heard Felix inhale next to me. I turned my head around to face him. His eyes were scorching, as though he was about to burn a hole in Edward Cullen's head. "Are you sure about this Corin?" He asked. He wanted his fun... it had been a slow couple of weeks.

It appeared as though he still needed a bit of persuasion... "Need I have to remind you of Aro's fondness of this immortal's creator? Don't you think he would enjoy a visit from this... Edward?" I cooed him.

The length of a human heart beat later, they both took one step back - enough to show that they would not attack, but also that they were not far away if things went wrong. They both stood tall, flanking me on either side.

"Do not worry gentlemen. You will have your fun shortly." Edward said rather darkly before turning to me. "It seems as though 'name-dropping' will get me a free pass after all." He sighed, almost quoting what I had been thinking earlier when he first mentioned my name. It sounded like a comment Aro would make after reading our thoughts.

I couldn't help but smile. "It would appear so. Follow me." I looked at the sun that was still peaking over some of the buildings, minutes away from setting. "Stay out of the sun. And don't fall too far behind..." I said, leaping to the rooftop above us.

I ran out first, holding back slightly in case this Edward was not a runner. Running was the one thing I enjoyed more than anything else. I was easily the fastest member of the guard. It was always frustrating running with Demetri, he is the only one who knows where we are to go, so I always have to stay at his pace. I had never met anyone who could rival my speed.

I could hear Edward close on my heels followed by Demetri and Felix no more than a second behind him. He was fast, and I relished the challenge that I was sure he had no intention of providing. "Try to keep up Edward Cullen!" I called over my shoulder and pushed my speed to its limit.

I heard his footsteps hasten in synchronisation with mine, but he still couldn't catch me. I laughed inside. I don't know what it was about this immortal that brought out this excited and almost childlike quality in me. I had probably never been this care free and tolerant in my entire existence than I had been over the last minute.

We were coming up to the alley behind the clock tower. The manhole cover behind it was the nearest entry to the vast network of our underground and ground-level empire.

I stopped and looked at our new visitor who was eyeing up the entry. "Hope you weren't holding back... I'm not used to having any competition!" My eyes fluttered behind him. "... Speaking of which..." Felix and Demetri stopped by his side. Edward did not look intimidated by their close proximity – if anything he looked calmer now than he had before. "Nice of you to join us!"

Demetri rolled his eyes while Felix glared at me as they jumped immediately down the small hole, on their way to the main hall where Aro, Marcus and Caius would be, while Edward and I walked – I wanted some time to talk to this interesting being. I assumed neither Felix nor Demetri were impressed with my light-hearted attitude to this vampire.

Edward smirked again, following me down into the darkened hall way. "You're right about that."

I stopped where I was and turned to face Edward, for some reason no longer afraid of an attack. It all made sense now... I felt ashamed that I had not come to this conclusion earlier. I reviewed the whole conversation three times in my mind. He was picking the words out of my head and even commenting on them. I had even compared him to Aro and still not made the connection.

_You're a mind reader, _I thought towards him.

"You're rather intuitive." He replied. "It took Carlisle and me quite a while to work it out."

I shrugged and continued down the hallway. "Well, you're not the first one I've met." I joked. _After all, I have lived with one for the last two and a half thousand years._

We walked the rest of the way in was a mind reader. To what extent, I did not know. But one thing was for sure – he didn't need contact to hear my thoughts. I wondered if the reason he was so silent was if he was absorbing the thoughts of the vast amount of immortals in this general area.

We soon reached the elevator that lead to the lobby before the main hall. As I removed my hood, I inhaled deeply. I could not smell any humans in the floor above us meaning that Gianna had probably returned to her home. Her weak human needs meaning she was most likely sleeping. It was lucky for her. I wondered if Edward Cullen would be able to resist human blood when he was so thirsty.

He scoffed once again from beside me.

"What?" I asked, intrigued by his silent evaluation of my thoughts.

"I'm beginning to think I was wrong when I called you intuitive…" He smiled.

I cocked one eyebrow. _Explain…_

"I do not hunt humans. I share the same opinions on feeding as Carlisle." He replied, quietly.

"Oh." That would explain the lighter shade of black in his hungry eyes which I had identified earlier. "So does that mean that Carlisle still practices feeding from _animals_?" I had thought it would not last for long.

"Carlisle has never tasted human blood except when he changed myself, his mate, my sister and brother." He cringed as he mentioned his siblings. Carlisle had changed his family?

"No." Edward interrupted. "They became my family _when_ he changed them."

He spoke of family... not a coven. He was so similar to Carlisle. "So there are five of you then?" I questioned casually.

"Seven actually." He cringed again, as though it was hurting him to talk about it. "Two others joined us fifty years ago."

_Seven? _"Impressive. I'm surprised there are that many of you." It was well known that when vampires travelled in groups of more than two then situations usually became volatile. "Well, Carlisle was always so calm and civilised."

"We believe that refraining from human blood is what makes it easier to live together." He beamed. I could tell that he was just as proud as Carlisle was when he spoke of their unique hunting values.

"Perhaps." I replied. It was no secret that Chelsea was the reason that _we _were able to work together. She kept us all linked and amicable which meant that we all _wanted_ to work together. And of course the discipline that was a fundamental part of each of us. If you acted _unrefined _then you were _unemployed_… and nobody wanted that.

The elevator doors opened into the lobby.

I went to gesture towards the benches that were not necessary, but completed the act. But before I could lift my hand, Edward was already seated. I laughed to myself. "You can wait in here. I'll speak to Aro and announce your arrival. I'll come back to get you shortly."

I waited for a thank you, expecting one. It was true that I had only met Edward a few minutes ago, but I felt as though I had formed some form of connection with him. I had so much respect for Carlisle and enjoyed his company and I saw so much of him in Edward.

But Edward just buried his face in his hands as though my thoughts had upset him. I turned and walked down the hallway and placed both of my hands on the wooden frames of the large door which opened into the main hall.


	2. Incredulous

**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of its characters**

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_Meet me half way..._

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I walked quickly and smoothly into the magnificent hall that had long since continued to take my breath away. The brothers were standing in the corner, with Aro at the front. His hands were wrapped around one of Demetri's who was standing in front of them with Felix on his left. The room was busy, everyone was excited and impatient for Heidi's return, who – unfortunately for me – was no longer here. Chelsea and Afton stood in one of the corners with Jane and Alec beside them. Some others stood behind the brothers, talking amongst themselves.

Aro's filmy crimson eyes flickered to me as I continued forwards. "Ah, my dear Corin..." He dropped Demetri's hand and stepped towards me with his palms open. As I stopped, he placed both of them on either side of my face, kissing both my cheeks. "... I hear you have been involved in a bit of a mêlée this morning."

"Yes Master, although it appears to have turned out a pleasant result." I replied, as he closed his eyes absorbing all of my thoughts.

As he reached the end, he inhaled deeply and his eyes shot open. "Splendid. Absolutely splendid."

Silence fell upon the large room as Aro spoke those words.

"What is this new revelation brother?" Caius asked.

Aro clapped his hands together. "We have been visited by a Cullen, dear brother. And a talented one at that..."

"Cullen?" Caius almost spat. He had not been at all _interested_ in Carlisle as Aro had. Fanatical might have been a more suitable word for Aro's reaction to him. "Are you referring to _Carlisle_ Cullen?"

"Not quite brother. It appears as though Carlisle created this being... as well as many more." He turned to face Caius, dropping his hands from my face. "He has developed quite an impressive coven of his own." He turned back to me. "Well done, Corin. What a pleasant surprise indeed. Bring this Edward in. We shall see him. Brothers? Shall we sit?" He gestured towards their three large thrones which appeared scattered, but were complexly specific in the centre of the room.

I turned back to the large wooden doors. As I approached them, a strong honey scent wrapped itself around me. The scent I now recognised belonged to Edward Cullen. I opened the doors to see him standing no more than one metre away from them.

I shut them behind me swiftly. "You're overconfident." I laughed. "He might have said no."

He tapped the side of his head. "But he said yes."

"You could hear from over there?" I nodded behind him. The 'waiting room' - so to speak - was situated carefully and at a specific distance away from the main hall so that no immortal could hear any conversations that happened in there.

He smiled a crooked smile, but did not reply. His eyes just focused on the doors in front of him.

I sighed and turned back around, opening the doors again and led him forwards.

"Edward Cullen, Masters." I said, and then walked to stand beside Afton, leaving Edward alone standing in front of the sitting brothers.

I passed Chelsea on the way, who was now making her way to Marcus's side. This was usual practice. They were discussing the readings that they were getting from Edward, whispering into each others ears so no one else could hear. Unknown to them that Edward would have no problem.

"Edward..." Aro swooned. "... you have travelled a long way to meet us today. What is it that you wish to ask us? Is Carlisle well?"

"Yes, Carlisle is fine... considering the circumstances..."

"And what are these circumstances?" Aro asked curiously.

Edward took a deep breath which was not only unnecessary, but seemed to take a long time. His eyes seemed to burn darker. "I wish to end my existence." He spoke each word slowly and carefully.

I could not believe what I was hearing and I was sure nobody else was either. My mouth dropped open and Aro laughed, but everyone else kept their strong faces, showing no emotion as Caius had always instructed. Jane's eyes met mine and she raised one eyebrow, silently telling me to return to formation – as I did. Although my experience outweighed hers by more than two thousand years, she outranked me.

Aro was still laughing as he spoke. "Excuse me, young Edward? What is it that you mean?"

"I have come to you to ask to take my life, or existence... what ever this is. I don't want it anymore. I don't want to be here anymore. I have no reason anymore." His words were full of emotion, but he spoke each of them impassively.

Aro shook his head. "I do not understand. Perhaps if I was to..." He stood, reaching his hands forward.

"I am able to _tell_ you all you need to know, Aro." He said.

Aro sat again. "Then go on..."

"For ninety years I have lived my life with no purpose other than to please the man I saw as my father. I grew to love him dearly as well as his wife and my siblings. They loved me in return, but they still offered me no purpose, though I enjoyed my life because of them. And then suddenly the most wonderful of lights entered my world... someone who finally gave my existence meaning. I found a different type of love, and that love was returned." Edward finally spoke with passion and infatuation. But then his eyes closed and his fists clenched. I wondered if his marble skin would crack over his rigid knuckles. "But she was taken away from me. Her existence ended, and with it so has mine."

Edward was the definition of a tortured soul. This was probably the reason why I had been so drawn to him this morning. Unknowingly to either of us he was crying out. A heartbroken man. Someone who needed help.

"Understandable." Aro assessed. "Tell me Edward. Have you attempted to seek revenge upon the ones who killed your mate? Perhaps that would ease your pain?"

Edward cringed. "That is why I am here."

My mind reviewed his words and I suddenly found myself wondering if it was one of us who had killed his mate. Is that why he wouldn't let Aro touch his hand? Is that why he tried so hard to get into our deepest chamber? Did he plan to attack Aro – our leader? He would die instantly of course, but he was quick. Quick enough to end Aro's life before he could be stopped. I analysed the faces around me and it appeared as though many of them had come to the same conclusion I as had. Some of their bodies even leaned forward, balancing their weight on the balls of their feet.

"You confuse me still Edward." Aro replied. "Please, allow me to understand." He meant it this time, as I was sure Edward knew.

He sighed and took a few steps towards Aro, stopping halfway and waiting for Aro to walk the rest of the way.

Renata walked with Aro, not touching him, but hovering her hand over his back. I hoped this would be enough to protect our Master.

Aro inhaled deeply as he held onto Edward's hand.

Once again I appeared to be wrong about our visitor. If it was his wish, he would have attacked by now having been handed the perfect opportunity.

I reassessed Edward's face. He looked even more disheartened than he had previously and I finally realised that there was good reason. It wasn't his thoughts he was reluctant to give Aro… but the thoughts, memories and precious moments of everyone else he had ever met.

"As you can see, Aro..." Edward eventually spoke. "I may not have physically ended her life, but I may as well have. _Bella..." _his body shook as he spoke her name. "... killed _herself._"

Aro's eyes flickered around the room, as if he was measuring the reactions of his guard – though no ones faces changed.

Caius stood. "Surely that was impossible. You, more than anyone, should know of Carlisle's failed attempts. It is an impossible task."

Aro smiled evilly, joining the tips of his finger with those on the opposite hand and then pressing his two index fingers against his lips. "That is true for _our_ species dear brother..."

It did not take long for our logical minds to work out the hidden meaning behind his words.

Caius was the first to react. "You are talking about a _human_?" He balled.

"Dear Caius, please calm yourself." Aro soothed.

"Tell me _boy... _the human girl..." Caius roared to life, storming forwards and ignoring Aro's words. "Did you inform her of what you are?" Caius scorned.

My head turned to Edward, worryingly. _Please Edward... Please say you didn't! _If he had then he was as good as dead – he would get his wish before he had time to blink. And it was I who brought him here. His death would be on my hands.

Edward smiled and stood proud. "Bella knew_ everything_ about me."

Caius growled and clicked his fingers at Felix.

Felix snarled and started to stalk towards Edward, who obviously made no attempt to run.

A part of me wanted nothing more than to run between them and stop it from happening, though I had no idea why. But Edward had broken one of our most important rules and exposed our kind to a human. But she was dead now – and our secret died with her… again, I saw no reason for this creature to die today. But these were our rules, there were no exceptions, Caius had made up his mind, and that was not something you could get out of... Edward was as good as dead and there was nothing any of us could do. I closed my eyes and waited for the sound of ripping to begin. _I'm so sorry, Edward._

"Felix." Aro breathed suddenly, as though he was telling off a small child or a pet.

I opened my eyes in time to see Felix stop and return to his position next to Demetri who was looking at me, baffled. Felix did not question Aro as he had me only a few minutes ago. He was no fool.

Aro turned to his brother. "Believe me Caius, it is not in our best interests to kill this immortal."

"No!" Edward shouted, though it sounded almost primal. "I wish this to happen."

"Edward..." Aro swooned, "... perhaps it is not your existence that you are having trouble with, but just your present life. I can imagine that a life living from animal blood will do strange things to your body and mind. But we can offer you a different life. A new life. Where you will have your distractions and will not worry about irrelevant things such as humans..."

Edward growled. "You know nothing of my life!"

"Ah, but I do Edward. I know you as well as you know yourself. It is true that you loved Isabella Swan deeply, but never-the-less, the relationship was not meant to be… apparently…" Aro smiled darkly. "Such a shame though, to loose such a fascinating being…" He continued to himself, "… and the circumstances leading to her death are rather ironic as well, wouldn't you agree Edward?"

None of us had any idea what Aro was referring to, but I was sure that there was some form of silent conversation travelling between the two mind readers.

Edward growled and Renata's hand moved forward to Aro's back causing Edward to take three deliberate steps backwards. "Tell me your answer, Aro." He moaned, looking away now.

Aro sighed disappointedly. "Your abilities would provide a huge advantage in our coven and are too much to waste."

Yes, destroying his ability is what Aro was worried about. I was sure he would have no problem destroying Edward if he lacked this unnatural power. And then I wondered if that would be the case for each of us standing by his side.

"A mind-reader... but from a distance. Wonderful."

Edward turned and headed for the door, presumably already hearing his answer.

"Edward?" Aro called. "My answer is no, for there is no reason... But please, I ask again… won't you join us?"

Edward's fist smashed into the pillar next to the door, making my body jump in shock. "I will give you reason, Aro... mark my words." He bellowed, ignoring his question.

My eyes followed him until they could no longer see.

The room was still and silent. Ironic that the last few weeks had been so dull, so boring, so quiet... but looking at us now, you wouldn't have guessed that anything had just happened... Well, apart from myself. My head was still turned away, my face just as pained as Edward's was, as though we were dear friends.

"Corin!" I heard Caius call.

My head snapped to him and I returned my face to normal, though it was already too late. He motioned for me to come towards him. I wondered if I would be punished for finding Edward in the first place, or for my lack of discipline over the last few minutes which I was sure he had noticed.

"You found him! He's your responsibility! And he will not be the only one burning if he breaks any more of our rules." His eyes scanned to Jane. No, I would not burn literally, but mentally for sure. "Kill him if he even attempts –"

"No." Aro spoke. "Do what you can to stop him before he does anything. I will not allow him to die. I _want _him." He said more to himself. "All of you. Keep an eye on him. The one who brings him back _unharmed_ and _alive_ will be rewarded. Renata, you stay in here. Alec, patrol our hall ways. Jane, I want you close by. The rest of you pair up and monitor the boy."

Everyone turned to leave.

In my peripheral vision I saw Aro approach me. He stood behind me, on my left and whispered a cold, gentle breath in my ear. "Perhaps you could use your fascinating abilities to persuade him to _stay_ rather than _leave _this time." He said, and delicately passed a brand new cloak and summer dress into my hands.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Yes Master."

That was my warning.

I left the hall and soon caught up with Chelsea, putting on the dress and cloak as I ran. We were always paired together and had been since the Volturi started its first ever missions. My ability acted as a catalyst to hers, making it even stronger. She was a dear friend of mine and I knew her almost as well as I knew myself.

"What do you make of this then, Corin?" She asked me in a casual manner while we walked to an exit to the north, following Demetri.

"I don't know. I've never heard of this happening before. When I found him I assumed he was here to join us... not that he wanted to _die._ Otherwise I never would have brought him here."

She sighed, "It is a bit peculiar."

"And what about you, Chelsea? What did Marcus see?" I asked quietly.

She tilted her head to the side. "He has seven very strong links." Marcus was able to see bonds between people while Chelsea was only able to manipulate them. He saw them like invisible ribbons. Jane and Alec's were strong red, completely and utterly unbreakable as they were tied by blood - family. It was unconditional love. Chelsea's powers had no effect on them. It was no secret that _our_ bonds were somewhat artificial (some more than others). They were held together, or strengthened by Chelsea. They were a sickly, weak green and she had complete control over them. The ribbon between mates was a golden colour that wrapped itself around the pair, like a thick coat. Chelsea mentioned that it was possible to wear at them slightly, but there were so many layers that you could never break all the way through it. And finally, the link between covens and their friends or allies – they were different shades of blue depending on the strength of the ties. These were easy for her to rip if needed, which was her advantage in battle. "Marcus told me that six of the links are a dark purple and they look more like elastic than ribbon – something I've never encountered before. I had a play with them so I could get a sense of them, but they're more similar to Alec and Jane's than to a coven... I can't break them. He's trying to pull away from them but there is so much resistance." She pursed her lips. "And the final one is a bright golden one which is wrapped around him so tightly that I couldn't even find a way in." Her eye brows creased as we exited the underground pathways into a shadowy alleyway. "But its unusual...Marcus can see it as he sees any other, but I can only sense one half of it."

"Because his mate is dead?" I asked.

Chelsea's face screwed up, as though she was uncomfortable. "I don't know. It's more as if I know it's there... but I just can't _find_ it." She added, pulling her hood back over her head.

"Corin?" Demetri called from ahead. He had stopped our small procession on a dark roof top. The streets below us were empty apart from a few people in bars, talking loudly with their friends, probably too intoxicated to notice anything – never mind our stealthy selves. "Tell us what we need to know about his ability."

I stood beside the rest of them. "As Aro said, Edward Cullen is a mind reader. But unlike Aro, he needs no contact to read your mind."

"Is there a limit to how far he can use his power?" Afton asked in a friendly manner.

"I'm not sure." I remembered that he was able hear the whole conversation that happened in the grand hall before he was summoned. "But he can hear farther with his mind than his ears."

There were some mummers of approval.

"And he's fast." Felix called. "As fast as Corin – if not more."

Again, there were more mummers.

"So if he can hear us coming from miles away and if he's able to outrun us… How are we going to get to him?" Chelsea roused.

"You will have to be more vigilant." Jane's girlish voice called from behind me. She had just joined us. "We need to guard our thoughts, try not to let him pick your tactics out of your head. Because he will be able to. He will always be one step ahead of us. You!" She said to Santiago, Afton, Ricardo and Martina. "Monitor the walls in case he escapes us. Corin, Chelsea, Demetri and Felix, follow him wherever he goes." She turned to leave before anyone else spoke.

Chelsea looked at me and rolled her eyes. Her opinion of Jane was in kin to mine. We both thought she was nothing but a spoilt child, quick to tantrums when she didn't get her way. It was just a shame that her tantrums made you feel like you were been burnt from the inside out. We had all felt the wrath of her bad moods – the first couple of years were the worst. Some weaker members of the guard even left because of her.

The three of us followed Demetri for no more than forty seconds before he found Edward. He was sitting in the cover of a small tower the other side of the city to where we were. Over four miles away.

"Do you think he can hear us from here?" Demetri whispered.

"He would have reacted to us by now, wouldn't he?" Chelsea replied, just as quietly.

We stood there for hours... all night in fact. We didn't move and neither did he. He just sat looking up into the sky. His eyes were searching, flicking and twitching as though he was trying to see the stars, but couldn't find them. I wondered if he was plotting a plan. He was an intelligent being, I knew that for sure. He knew that we would be watching him, even if he couldn't hear us. He knew that we would have the means to stop him before he could do anything, so he would have to formulate a plan to evade us.

Time passed quickly and before I knew it the sun peaked over the rooftops to the east.

Felix growled, obviously worried about the sun that was now creeping its way towards Edward.

"Let's just go and drag him back to Aro." Felix bellowed.

Demetri tusked. "And that wouldn't make him run would it."

"Demetri's right." I contributed. "We can't go in _all guns blazing_. It will not help us. Plus, we're not alone now..." I nodded my head down to the streets all around us. The humans were waking up, starting their day already. Some were walking to churches for morning worship and others were decorating the outside of their homes or places of work with bright red banners, preparing for St Marcus Day. "... And Edward would not make it easy for us..."

Chelsea nodded in agreement, "He surely knows what today means to us, and so he knows that we will react quickly if he were to step out of line – he's hoping for it!"

"Imagine what it would mean, if our kind was exposed on today of all days!" Demetri scowled.

"Then what do we do?" Felix exhaled.

"Let me go and talk to him..." I suggested.

"Corin! Don't be foolish." Demetri cried, stepping between me and the edge of the roof where we stood. "By going there yourself you're just giving him the perfect opportunity to provide an excuse to be killed, at least if we all go together then none of _us_ would be in danger."

"But if we all go then he will run and then I'll be the only one who'd be able to catch him anyway."

"Corin..." Chelsea warned.

"I can prove to all of you now that he does not truly want to die, and by doing so I will also prove it to him. And then perhaps he will finally come around." I turned to Demetri. "You're right. I'll give him the perfect opportunity to grant his wish... and I can guarantee that he will not take it."

With a bit of extra persuasion, Demetri finally stepped down. "We'll be here if anything happens. Just try to get away before anything does." He added, squeezing my arm comfortingly. "But please understand that just because he didn't attack you earlier does not mean that he won't do it now. He's a desperate man and you are not his friend. He used your good nature as a way in, and I wouldn't be surprised if that was the reason why he so conveniently positioned himself in _your _path and not someone else's. He might be able to read your mind but you can not read his." He spoke like a father or an older brother. _Intuitive, _Edward had called me earlier… but if truth be told there was no one more intuitive than Demetri. After all, it was such perceptiveness and all round awareness that manifested into his tracking ability.

I smiled back at him kindly, though I felt completely embarrassed by his words. "Don't worry about me."

I jumped onto the next roof top and took a deep breath. I could not guarantee that Edward Cullen would not hurt me, I had no idea how he was feeling and how much he _really _wanted to end his existence. There was no way I could empathise. I just hoped that he wouldn't be able to find it in himself to harm me. As much as I didn't want it to be true, maybe Demetri was right and I was just being used. I didn't even want to think about it.

I was only two miles away from him now and started to wonder if he could hear me yet. Just in case, I filled my head with images of Carlisle and the endless conversations we had had all those years ago. I had not thought about the man since he had left, almost as though I had forgotten all about him, but Edward relit my feelings of admiration for the golden-eyed immortal. Though I did not agree with his preferred method of hunting, I respected him for it.

The space between myself and Edward was now blinded with the morning's light so I dropped into the streets below, making sure no one was beneath me. My hood shaded the whole of my head and my clock was in fitting with the theme for the day, making sure I did not stand out at all. So I did not mind when I passed a group of humans a few seconds later, all of which were wearing different shades of red cloaks. The men smelled... meaty, full of body and dense flavour, but it did not bother me. I could have walked directly towards them, put my teeth a millimetre away from their necks and not even shudder – despite my thirst. Walking slowly, I kept to the left hand side of the path.

" Ciao, Bello!" One of the males said, bowing his head.

I smiled carefully and delicately, not showing too much teeth. " Signori di buongiorno." I replied, sounding more Italian then the boys, though it was not my original language.

The males laughed and one of them pushed the other in the ribs.

_Fools_, I thought to myself.

The sweet smell of Edward penetrated my nose. He was close now. The street I was walking on soon became busy, so without been seen by anyone I slipped into a small crevice – so small that a human would feel compressed and claustrophobic in it. My nose and petite breasts brushed against the wall in front of me even though my back was pressed hard against the one behind me. I dug my fingers into the ancient brick work and pulled myself up.

My head peaked up between the gaps in the roof tops in a shady area, and thankfully was the same spot where Edward was sitting.

"And you called _me _overconfident." He smirked. Although he was not happy, the smile was warm. Demetri was wrong about him, I was sure of it.

I smiled in return. "Years of practise."

"I take it you have not come to make my day..." He sighed.

I shook my head. "No... for it wouldn't just be your life lost if that was the case."

His teeth grinded together.

"I wish there was another way to make your pain end Edward. _Any _other way. I'm so sorry."

Aro's words replayed in my head. There _was_ another way. If I tried hard enough I could probably persuade him to... reconsider. To start a new life with us.

Edward's body tensed. His sitting frame rocked on to the balls of his feet and he sprang towards me with his hands held out.

I leapt onto the tower, a few metres above us before his hands were able to touch me. Instead they came into contact with the wall creating two large holes.

I stayed in this position, deadly still. I was now directly in the sunlight instead of the shade that the tower produced. Though my new cloak was now covering my body sufficiently, it was waving erratically in the wind drawing too much attention to myself.

He pulled out his hands sending a poof of powder into the air. "You wouldn't do that to me! Can't any of you get it? If I wanted to be a member of something then it would be my own _family! _But I can't anymore. I can't survive anymore! I _don't want to _survive anymore! " He strutted back to where he had just been sitting. His head fell into his hands.

I dropped back down from the roof. "I'm – I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." He sighed. "It's no-one's fault apart from my own."

"What do you mean Edward?" I asked, genuinely concerned.

He sighed. "She killed herself because I left her, Corin… because she thought I didn't love her anymore… But in truth I left because I loved her too much. Our world is too dangerous for her and it nearly killed her… _twice_!... no, thousands of times…" He said the last part so quietly I hardly heard it. His fingers ran down the side of his face, scratching its marble surface, though it healed immediately afterwards. "I left to keep her alive… but instead it killed her."

_Ironic, _Aro had said… and this is what he was referring to. My teeth grinded together at his earlier, taunting words. I stood in silence for a few minutes, trying to think of any words of comfort. Trying to think of any way in which I could – sincerely - persuade him to go back home to his... family.

"Please..." Edward sighed after a few minutes. "Let me be."

"Very well. But, Edward..." He turned his head to face me. _... If this is what you truly want... well... my back will be turned. I don't want you to hurt anymore. _I was surprised to hear how sincere my thoughts actually were. Why was I willing to possibly give my life for this stranger? There was one element of truth behind Demetri's harsh words – Edward Cullen was not my friend.

Against the better half of my judgment, I turned my back to him and started to walk away, waiting to feel a sharp point of pressure on my neck... or perhaps my arms... maybe he would remove those so I would not instinctively fight back. I wondered if he would have enough time to rip off my head before my back-up would arrive. Would he go as far as burning the separate parts of my body or would he just leave me to be put back together again?

A grey blur crossed my vision. Demetri was crouched in the shadow of a building at least a mile in front of me. He looked worried or concerned. His eyes were not looking at me; they were scanning the space directly behind me.

I looked behind me to see what he could see.

Edward was still sitting in exactly that same position. "Good bye, Corin. Thank you... for everything." He said gently from behind me.

I was right all along... Well partly. Edward Cullen did not want to die... he just wanted to be with his love... his Bella. It just so happened that death was the only thing that would take him to her. I wondered if he had _considered_ killing me to get to her... but it didn't matter, because he _didn't. _In his darkest hour he still didn't stoop to our level where people's lives or existences were insignificant and did not matter. He was a good man, just like Carlisle.

"Good bye Edward." I replied courteously, though unfortunately for him I knew that this wouldn't be the last time I would see him.


	3. Contradictions

**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of its characters**

_**(A/N: The last 1000 words of this chapter contain vast amounts of text from pages 411-413 of New Moon though I've attempted to interpret it from a member of the Volturi's point of view. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, it really means a lot. I'm glad your enjoying the story **__**)**_

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_The sun is perched at its highest peak in the middle of the day..._

It had been five hours since I had left Edward's side and returned to a safe and strong position with Chelsea, Felix and Demetri. We all stood together, perfectly hidden from the now busy streets below, but in a position where Edward was never out of sight. It was almost midday now... we had been watching him for almost eighteen hours now.

Two hours ago, Edward had suddenly stood and dropped onto the street below him. We moved to a closer position, intrigued by what he was going to do.

He was heading further into the dense network of ancient alleyways. They were packed so close that sunlight was not a problem here.

Demetri held out his hand to halt us. "He's stopped." He pointed towards the roof above us and in complete synchronisation we all jumped up on to it.

I looked down onto the street where Edward was, not really understanding why we had gone up there – it wasn't like we were hiding from him. I had had no doubt at all that he knew we were up here.

Edward was pressed up against the alley wall, standing completely still – something only our species could do. His eyes were open but were moving around, as though he was looking through someone else's, something that he could probably do and probably was. I wondered what he was doing, or if he was waiting for something.

It wasn't long before my question was answered. The scream of a human girl turned our heads to the alley adjacent to the one Edward was waiting in. She had been hit around her face by a large, burly man – most likely a visitor to this city. He had grabbed her bag and was now running in Edward's direction. He passed right by Edward without even noticing. Nor did he notice Edward suddenly chasing him – though he didn't have to for long. Within a second of turning into the alley, Edward had pulled him into the wall. He pushed the brute's face so that his head was turned and pressed into the wall making his throat exposed. Edward gave each of us a determined look before glaring at the pulsing blood that was so clear to our kind. He started to move his teeth towards the translucent skin covering it, though he looked in pain as he did it.

Demetri's body tensed, almost hanging over the edge of the roof. I could tell that he was about to jump down there to stop Edward from feeding. And I also knew what techniques he would use to stop him. He would not worry about being reprimanded, for if Edward fed inside our walls then there was nothing – not even Aro – that could stop Demetri from killing him. I wouldn't be able to do anything. This was the law, something that I had been fighting to keep for my entire existence. He can't do it!

_Edward! _I had screamed towards him mentally. _Think of Carlisle! Think of everything you stand for!_

I didn't know at the time if he was listening to me, but I was sure he'd care. If he had stuck with Carlisle for the last ninety years then he'd surely never want to let him down. He spoke of family and his brothers and sisters, but did not refer to Carlisle and his mate as such. Perhaps he saw him as more... as a father?

Edward growled and punched the wall to the right of the man in his grip, who cowered pathetically. He ripped the girl's bag out of his hand and Demetri relaxed beside me, his eye brows raising in surprise.

"How did he do that?" He whispered, knowing all too well how hard it was to resist human blood – especially when you've already given yourself to the hunt, never mind resisting it when you were as thirsty as Edward was. I just smiled proudly.

"For Carlisle." Edward said, answering Demetri's question, just loud enough for us to hear. He stalked back to where the girl was crouched, hiding in a corner and threw her the bag without saying anything.

"G-g-grazie"_, _she stuttered, looking absolutely terrified. I was not surprised though, in his current state Edward looked demonic.

Felix had laughed darkly. "What? So now he's passing himself off as some kind of superhero?"

Demetri smirked and Chelsea rolled her eyes, but we all continued to follow him for the next couple of hours.

Edward explored the darkest parts of our city for a while, not staying stationary for long – Probably too annoyed with our stalking him. I didn't want to be here anymore, keeping him in check as though he was some human toddler I was watching. Why did he even have to come here? Couldn't he find some nomad travelling through America to do it for him? There were enough of them! It wouldn't have bothered them too much! But it bothered me. It bothered me so much. But I didn't know why. Why was I so affected by this? Why did I _care_? Because I knew it was wrong? Everything was wrong. Not just Edward's wishes, but more importantly how we dealing with it.

_The law, above all else. _The words had been drilled into each of us, as well as into the great stone walls of the main hall. Realisation suddenly hit me... that it was not the case anymore. If it was, then Edward Cullen would have been killed as soon as he had confessed to breaking our rules. But he had not... he had been saved by nothing more than Aro's obsession with his ability. And here we were, trying to prevent him from breaking any more. This was not our way. As much as it hurt me to think it, he should be dead. He should have been hours ago. The law had been forgotten in this case. _Power, above all else._ That was our ethos now, and probably had been for centuries. But it hadn't always been like this...

"Corin!" Chelsea chimed, bringing me out of my daze. Edward was moving again, and the three of them were already on his heels. "Wake up!" She laughed.

I had already caught them by the time she sounded the 'p', but Edward was extending his speed, taking three steps for every one of ours. With in eleven seconds, he was out of sight. We were falling behind... but we didn't need to be.

"Where's he going?" I called forward to Demetri.

"He's heading back towards the centre of the city." He replied, over his shoulder.

That was all I needed to know. Infuriated by Demetri's slow pace I pushed on beyond them and finally caught up with Edward, running on the rooftop that was parallel to his.

I looked over to him, but he almost looked like a different man. His face was... peaceful... almost happy. _Edward? _I called to him. _What are you doing? What are you planning? What's happened? _But he did not react to my thoughts. He just carried on running.

We were nearly at the plaza now, at the back of an alleyway that came out to the right of the clock tower. He descended to the path and slowed to a walk, no faster than a human. I slowed to his pace but stayed on the roof, giving Demetri, Felix and Chelsea a chance to catch up.

"What is he doing?" Felix growled.

I shrugged my shoulders. "No idea." I kept my eyes on him, unblinking. Something was different. Something had changed. Something was _wrong_...

"Edward!" A voice cried from far away, muddled with the constant murmurs of the crowd. It was hoarse and uneven. It was human.

Each of our heads turned to face the girl running in the square, trying to push her way through the hundreds of people. She had long brown hair, with gentle redish waves reflecting in the sunlight. Her body was tiny in an unhealthy way. Her skin was pale, but not smooth and unblemished like ours. Her eyes were the deepest brown that I had ever seen, but she looked... tired, as though she had not slept in a while. As my eyes naturally scanned the rest of her body they landed on her right wrist. The white mark beamed in the sunlight, but was something that only our species could see clearly. A scar. A bite. A bite from a vampire.

"Edward!" She screamed again, spinning on her heels. She couldn't see him yet, her human eyes too weak and her mind too slow to pick him out of the dense crowd.

"She's calling for _him_?" Felix questioned.

"Is that... his... you know?" Chelsea said awkwardly. "His human mate?"

"But she's dead." Felix replied.

"Apparently not..." Demetri breathed.

"I _knew _it!" Chelsea whispered. "It never added up." Her eyes intensified on Bella and her nose crunched up. "Nothing..." She said to herself, shaking her head. Her head turned to me as she saw me looking at her. She smiled embarrassedly, and turned away again.

My mind thought back to something Aro had said after he held Edward's hands. _"Such a shame though, to loose such a fascinating being…" _Fascinating… Was whatever effect she had on Chelsea the aspect of her that made her fascinating? What was it? How was she different? What was she doing?

"And he's... what? Walking towards her?" Felix continued, obviously not thinking the same thing as me. "Does he really think we're going to let him just stroll out into the square to greet her?" He hissed.

I turned my face back to Edward. Was Felix right? Had Edward heard her thoughts before and was now running to her? The love and reason of his existence who he thought was dead, but was actually alive is now risking her life in our city to come and save him. How did she know where he was?

"Well, Aro may have allowed _this_ perpetrator to live..." Felix said nodding his head towards Edward, "... but there is no excuse for that one." He added, turning back to Edward's Bella. And he was right. Bella would not be allowed to leave this city alive. By saving Edward's life, she had sacrificed her own.

I scoffed ironically in my mind. She would certainly die today, and Edward would be right back where he started last night. They needed to leave... now.

_Wait until she gets to you, grab her and get out Edward... Please! Neither of you are safe here anymore. _

I doubted they would ever be safe again. My eyes flickered to Demetri. He would be able to find them easily, wherever they went in this world.

Demetri was aware that I was looking at him and he returned my gaze with a determined look which only confirmed my thoughts.

"Corin..." Chelsea pulled on my hand, worryingly. "... We can not let this go unreported. I know you like him and you've built your own form of relationship with him, but this is too far. This is a _human_ who knows about us! We have to tell Aro!" Her eyes were begging for me to leave with her. I wondered what Marcus had seen forming between myself and Edward... a blue band of friendship? Something that he had warned Chelsea about obviously. Something that was not artificial like my ties with Demetri and Felix. Something worth fighting for, perhaps? Something that I would _defend_?

I reflected upon my own thoughts and feelings. Demetri and Felix would most certainly be ordered to kill the girl and Edward would fight to protect her, and I wondered if I would fight to protect him? Would I do that? Could I? Could I turn my back on my coven of more than two thousand years, on the only thing I knew, on the only thing that I understood, to fight for someone I had only known for a day?

Incongruously, I remembered that only a few hours ago I had the same thought when Felix had been about to end him. I tried to picture it again – picture Edward outnumbered and alone. When I did my body tensed and venom pooled in my mouth. I wanted to walk forwards, towards the image that was only present in my mind.

Earlier I had thought that it was Edward that I was keeping a check on, when now I realised that it was the three of my guard members that I was truly watching – making sure that they wouldn't step too far. I was _protecting _him from my colleagues.

"Corin!" Chelsea called again, now pulling me with her. "Come on! Demetri, Felix! You stay here. Make sure he doesn't go into the sun and then keep them here. Try and tempt them to the hall. Aro will need to end this himself."

Demetri nodded.

"Wait!" Felix growled. His eyes were no longer on the human girl running through the square. They were stuck on Edward who was now removing his shirt and still stepping forward towards the sunlight. If he carried on this path he would shortly be in the direct sunlight, with thousands of diamond like reflections bouncing off his skin. "What is he _doing_?"

Chelsea gasped, "He hasn't seen her! Does he even know that she's here? That she's even alive?"

"No, he doesn't." Demetri hissed. "He knows the quickest way to get us to do what he wants. He's been giving us the run around... trying to distract us! He's probably been planning this all along!"

"Edward!" I screamed aloud, not even bothering to communicate with him secretly anymore. "Why isn't he listening anymore? Why can't he hear her screams?" The large bells in the clock tower beside us were chiming loudly, building the tension that was keeping us all on edge.

"Edward! No!" The human called, her eyes finally finding him.

She was running directly towards him now.

"Corin! This is serious now! The longer we leave this, the more we'll be in trouble!" Chelsea pleaded again.

I could feel a flutter in my stomach that pulled me towards her. She was strengthening the bond between us – something that was not synthetic, for Chelsea was truly my dearest friend. She was much more of a friend than Edward Cullen was to me – he was nothing compared to her. But still... he was _something_.

"Do _not_ harm him! Do not do _anything_ until it is completely necessary!" I ordered, hoping that Bella would reach him before he stepped into the sun.

The last thing I saw as I ran with Chelsea was Edward about to take a fatal step into the sun, and his Bella only one step away from him. As we turned the corner I heard the sound of soft, warm flesh crashing into marble. She had made it.

Parallel to us, but slightly ahead, Afton and Santiago were running towards where Jane was stationed. They were running fast, definitely in a hurry. Both wore worried expressions.

Chelsea and I exchanged a confused look. Something was wrong. Had they seen Bella too?

We turned the corner to find that they had both stopped and were now speaking with Jane.

"What are you doing _here_?" She spat venomously. "Ergh, Aro is fed up of you all taking so long. He has asked me to fetch the boy now. He would be foolish to try and run from me. Surely the _talented _immortal will have heard of what I can do. I'll show him talent."

Chelsea walked to Afton's side, holding his hand in hers.

"Jane." He said, ignoring her childish rant. "Another had entered our walls. She travelled amongst the humans via vehicle so we couldn't stop her..."

Jane inhaled roughly.

Afton sighed, "That's not all… she travelled with a human."

Jane hissed. "Where are they both now?

"The yellow-eyed vampire circled the walls for a while, as if she was trying to find a way in. We lost her within the minute." Santiago spoke.

He hardly had time to finish his sentence before Jane had him pinned to the floor with her mental flames. She turned her head to Afton sharply. "And the human?" She growled over his screams.

"She got out of the car as soon as they were through the gates. She was running towards the Plaza." Afton replied quickly.

"She was running to Edward." I said so softly I was surprised that any of them could have heard me. It all came together now. The vampire – probably a member of his coven - and the human had travelled together to save Edward from his self destruction, but for some reason he was unaware of this. He couldn't hear anything anymore. He'd switched off, knowing he was going to die. But for no reason! His existence did have purpose! Bella was alive!

Jane exploded with rage and turned to me. "Where is he?"

"Under the clock tower." Chelsea rushed, not wanting anyone else to be pained by Jane.

Jane hurried away, her near black cloak drifting in the wind behind her. She lifted her hood sharply – we all knew where she was going.

I found myself wondering how long Edward would have to reunite with his love before she was killed in front of his eyes.

I turned to Chelsea who was shaking her head, looking baffled. "What's happening here? This is not normal. This should have been dealt with hours ago!"

I wondered if she had come to the same conclusion that I had... that this is not right, that rules have been broken but excuses have been made.

We passed Athenodora and Sulpicia on the way, being escorted to a room deep within our walls by Lucas and Nicholas. They were all comfortably smiling and laughing, discussing Edward's relationship with a human.

"He's not with you?" Sulpicia smiled. "Aro will not be pleased..."

"A significant change has happened, Mistress." Afton replied. "We are here to inform Aro."

Athenodora giggled, "Oh, it is all happening today isn't it... how exciting!"

We continued past them. Santiago took off his cloak, not being able to brush off the dust and dirt that had embedded itself in it when Jane had floored him. Underneath he wore dark jeans with a grey shirt and waistcoat – smart, but not something that would stand out in a crowd of humans. He was murmuring under his breath, no doubt cussing at Jane. He passed it to Gianna who was waiting for the rest of us to remove ours also, having been accustomed to our usual routine.

Aro greeted us as we walked towards him. He and Renata stood in front of us together; he was covered in his jet black cloak as usual. He moved with such grace that I doubted that he had ever worn down any of _his _clothes. Renata was wearing a lilac dress with thick black tights covering her legs, but she held her coat tightly in her hands – she didn't like being obvious and saw her cloak as much as a shield as she was. She always kept it with her, putting it on whenever she felt vulnerable.

Aro's eyes shifted to Chelsea and I, noticing our worried expressions. "I hope that Edward is still well ladies?"

"Edward Cullen is still been watched by Felix and Demetri, Master." Chelsea replied, offering him her hand.

He took it and saw everything that she had seen and heard everything that she had thought since we had left late last night. "Hmm, quite a development indeed..." He turned to Afton next. "And I believe you have something to share also?"

Afton nodded and held his hand out in front of him, as though he was holding an invisible plate.

Aro's face lit up as soon as his hand came into contact with Afton's. Pure delight, almost too much. "Alice." He breathed and he smiled widely. "Let's hope that Jane's presence will persuade the three of them to visit me before they go..." He said looking at me for a prolonged moment, obviously disappointed that I had gone against his wishes and let Edward be. Aro inhaled deeply, "Such a talented coven Carlisle has... I'm rather jealous."

The faces of the guard standing around me looked shocked, Chelsea even looked disgusted. I was just confused. Of course Edward had a remarkable ability, but it was nothing in comparison to the weapons we had in our arsenal. What abilities did the other members have that could make _Aro_ jealous?

"Just think how powerful we would be... the past, present and future!" He clapped his hands together loudly, sounding like two stone boulders crashing together. Aro loved talking to himself, but so that everyone else could hear. It just accentuated his omniscience… he knew things that the rest of us did not.

"The _future?_" Chelsea gasped.

My thoughts echoed her words. He wasn't referring to time, but people. Aro - the past, Edward - the present and another as the future... this Alice that he had been so happy to see in Afton's thoughts?

Aro giggled happily, "I know...enthralling isn't it? And she's so close!" He rubbed his hands together like some evil character in a movie.

"Are you suggesting that the yellow-eyed vampire with the pixie face can see the future?" Santiago almost laughed.

"Not at all... I _know_ she can." He smiled wickedly.

Conversations started to bubble around me, all of them discussing Aro's words.

"Could it be true?"

"How? How is it even possible?"

"I never thought such an ability would exist."

"How many more abilities do you think Carlisle has in his coven?"

I turned to leave immediately, hoping foolishly to get to Edward before Jane brought them here.

Chelsea grabbed my wrist tightly. "Where are you going _now_?" She hissed in my ear, so low that I only just heard it.

I turned to face her, looking her strongly in the face. "We've reported it! We've done what you wanted… now I've got to do what I want…" And what I wanted right now was to protect the innocent Edward, his mate and his sister.

I was almost at the door, with Chelsea still at my side, when the sound of footsteps heading this way made us both stop in our tracks. Six graceful - almost silent - and another... stumbling and uneven, accompanied by the unmistakeable sound of a human heartbeat. The smell was divine... the sweetest thing I had ever smelt, enhanced by a powerful scent of freesias.

The doors opened and her scent flooded in to the hall. The well trained guard around me did not appear to react to it, but it did not go unnoticed by anyone.

Alec held the doors open as Jane walked in first with another vampire a few steps behind her. Alice I presumed. She was just as small as Jane – extremely petite. Her yellow eyes were so familiar, just like looking at Carlisle. They did not look human, but they made her face warm and approachable, not intimidating like ours. She was fluid as she danced towards us, looking more like a fairytale creature than a vampire. Her jet black hair was cropped short, pointing in every direction.

Behind her Edward strutted, still bare-chested. He didn't look any happier, but it was obvious why. The girl in his arms was the love of his existence – and he was walking her to the executioners.

His eyes were pinned on the smug Jane, but they left momentarily to meet mine. His look was not angry, nor was it pleading. He was scared.

Bella looked no different up close, but the flush in her cheeks had gone. Her body was shivering, but I wasn't sure whether it was due to being so close to Edward's ice cold body, or if she too was scared for her life. She took in the room slowly, raising her eyes to the top of our turret and then back down to the thousands of sparkles emanating from myself and Chelsea as we hesitated by one of the long, thin windows.

Behind them, Felix and Demetri stalked. Both of them were intimidating close and refused to move their eyes from Edward and Bella.

I wasn't just the only one who had turned to face our new visitors. Everybody was examining them, all of their eyes flicking between Alice and Bella. I noted that Renata had already placed her cloak on, presumably as soon as she heard the forthcoming footsteps.

"Jane, dear one, you've returned!" Aro called, obviously still excited. He drifted forwards at the centre of the tight knit group with Renata behind him while Santiago and Afton automatically flanked his sides.

"Yes Master." Jane chimed just as Aro greeted her with a kiss. "I brought him back alive, just as you wished." I could hear the subtle venom in her words. She did not want him alive, but would never disobey Aro.

"Ah, Jane. You are such a comfort to me." He sighed, having seen her success through her own thoughts. "And Alice and Bella, too! This is a happy surprise! Wonderful!" He said, once again clapping his hands together.

I was confused by his words, and the fraud behind it. He knew they were coming. It appeared as though Edward and Alice were not fazed by his phoney attitude, though Bella looked confused.

He turned to Felix, who was looking at Bella as though she was a walking bag of blood – which I suppose, in his mind, she was. "Felix, be a dear and tell my brothers about our company. I'm sure they wouldn't want to miss this."

_Miss what? _I thought to myself. Their demise? Or was Aro planning to force the prisoners in front of us to put on some form of show? But then I considered Alice's ability, and my internal joke didn't seem so funny.

"Yes Master." Felix nodded and walked towards the chambers.

Aro turned back to Edward with a strange smile on his face. "You see Edward? What did I tell you? Aren't you glad that I didn't give you what you wanted yesterday?"

I scoffed internally. Surely Edward did not believe that the reason behind Aro's decision not to kill him was due to his belief that Bella was still alive, but was actually because he wanted Edward for himself.

Edward didn't react either way. "Yes, Aro, I am." He said simply, though no one missed how his arm wrapped tighter around Bella's waist.

"I love a happy ending, they are so rare..." He sighed. Happy endings were nothing but a myth in our world. "But I want the whole story..." As he always did. "How did this happen? Alice?" He questioned. "Your brother seemed to think you infallible, but apparently there was some mistake." His eyes passed to Bella. He spoke as though he was a concerned doctor, when really he was just analysing her power, probably wondering if there were flaws in her unbelievable ability.

"Oh I'm far from infallible." She replied, just as unperturbed as Aro always spoke, though her hands gave away her fear. They were held in tight fists and I wondered why... did she foresee that Aro would take her hand? If Aro wanted to see your thoughts, there was not much you could do to stop him. "As you can see today, I cause problems as much as I cure them..."

I didn't understand the private joke. Surely she had saved the day! She had found a way to save her brothers life! Perhaps it was Alice that told Edward that Bella had died, though she obviously hadn't... but why couldn't Edward have checked. I really didn't understand anything that was going on, and I was sure that there were very few people in this world who did.

"You're too modest...I have seen some of your more amazing exploits and I must admit I've never observed anything like your talent."

Jane hissed from beside us. Of course, until now, she had had the most formidable ability.

"Wonderful." Aro exhaled, ignoring Jane.

Alice turned her head slightly to look at her brother and I wondered what it was that she was telling him silently. She looked… annoyed. Because by letting Aro touch him he had unwillingly passed on information about her... visions? I wonder if Edward was able to see them too through Alice's mind...

"I'm sorry, we haven't been introduced properly at all, have we?" Aro apologised. "It's just that I feel like I know you already and I tend to get ahead of myself. Your brother introduced us yesterday, in a peculiar way. You see, I share some of your brother's talent." He boasted. "Only I am limited in ways he is not." He shook his head, looking as though he was a part of some amateur dramatic society.

I found myself rolling my eyes though I got a warning glare from Alec. Jane may be known throughout our world as the sadistic one, but if there was one person whom I feared over the whole of my existence it would be Alec. He was calculative and cunning and much more premeditating than Jane who seemed to be more reflexive.

"And also exponentially more powerful." Edward said in a low, uncomplicated voice, the complete opposite to Aro and Alice's. "Aro needs physical contact to hear your thoughts, but he hears much more than I do." He turned to Alice as he spoke though it seemed that it was for the human's benefit. "You know I can only hear what's passing through your mind at the moment. Aro hears every thought your mind has ever had."

Alice's eyebrows rose, but wasn't through surprise or because she was impressed because she knew what this meant. He had read Edward's mind and therefore every thought she's ever had as well... she may as well have screamed it.

"But to be able to hear from a distance..." He said, keeping the conversation amicable. "That would be so _convenient._" He emphasised the last word. It would be convenient for us, the Volturi... and even more convenient for _him_.

_Power, above all else, _I thought again.

The almost silent sound of three cloaks brushing against our stone floors stole my attention suddenly. Felix was returning with Marcus and Caius. Aro looked over the small group ahead of him as the three immortal's heads turned. I smiled at Bella, though she did not see. She looked around her at everyone's faces and then eventually looked the same way they were.

But suddenly my smile fell. With the arrival of Caius came the arrival of her death. He was not one for conversations and pretences as Aro was. He knew that the rules had been broken and he would order her death without thinking about it twice. In some ways I was thankful for his straight forward attitude – you always knew what you were getting with him. But he was merciless, and for that reason I feared him, especially in this circumstance. Though I would never wish it upon Edward, or his mate... Bella would certainly die today.

As Edward turned his head back, he looked directly into my eyes.

'Help us,' he mouthed.

_****_


	4. Alliances

**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of its characters**

_**(A/N: This chapter contains vast amounts of text from pages 413 - 426 of New Moon though I've attempted to interpret it from a member of the Volturi's point of view.)**_

_**

* * *

**_

_Let me give my love to you,_

_Let me take your hand..._

_

* * *

_

His lips had moved so carefully that I was sure that no one else saw.

He had heard my assessment of Caius's arrival and knew it was true. I didn't know precisely what he meant, whether he wanted me to _fight_ with him or offer him help through my thoughts. Could my knowledge of our workings help him escape? I didn't know. But I would give Edward Cullen everything I could, so I nodded my head once – cautiously – and his eyes looked away again.

"Marcus! Caius! Look!" Aro sang, it was so patronising I had to bite down on my lip to stop myself from making a sound in protest. "Bella is alive after all! And Alice is here with her! Isn't that wonderful?"

As the two brothers entered, I saw Marcus glance quickly between myself and Edward. I knew what he saw now... a blue ribbon – not only of friendship, but off alliance. And I knew what this meant for me, even more so when Marcus's hand reached for Aro's after it was requested.

Adrenaline pumped through my body as they touched. _Fight or flight... _the most instinctive reaction of any living being was all my mind could focus on. I had to battle with it in order to keep my feet grounded. I felt that if I had a heart then it wouldn't have been able to cope and would have exploded in my chest. My stomach was doing somersaults and cramping at the same time. I was a traitor now, to Aro, to our cause, and to our coven.

_That's it... Well, you know what they say Edward, there's always someone else worse off then you..._

Edward scoffed loudly and despite the doom now hanging over both of us, I smiled softly.

Alice turned her head and looked at him inquisitively.

"Thank you, Marcus. That's quite interesting." Aro said solemnly.

Marcus moved on to his chair. Chelsea followed him there as usual, and though I now felt ridiculous doing so, I followed suit.

Chelsea's head bowed and her ear fell near Marcus's lips receiving his instructions in light of his new information. It didn't take long before her eyes raised to look at me. Her lips parted in shock and her head shook slightly.

I couldn't look into my betrayed friend's eyes. I wish there was a way for me to share what I knew with her, maybe then she'd understand.

"Amazing, absolutely amazing." Aro exhaled, more delighted than before. I wondered if he was trying to distract _himself_ from this new revelation.

As I looked at Edwards party once again, Alice's eyes bulged, apparently annoyed that Edward was not letting her in on what was happening.

"Marcus sees relationships. He's surprised by the intensity of ours." Edward explained, turning back to his sister. I wondered if he was referring to his and Alice's, or his and Bella's. Chelsea had mentioned previously that Marcus saw many intriguing bonds coming from Edward.

Aro grinned like a mad man. "So convenient." He said to himself and I wondered if the human girl would be able to hear. "It takes quite a bit to surprise Marcus, I can assure you." Aro was looking at Bella and Edward now, observing how they were standing together, how their bodies were angled towards each other and how _close_ he was to her. "It's just so difficult to understand, even now." He paused. "How can you stand so close to her like that?" He almost gasped.

Edward grimaced. "It's not without effort."

Aro's eyebrows creased, but his eyes were sympathetic. "But still... La tua cantante..." He said dramatically.

Around me, everyone seemed to take another look at the bizarre couple, as if they were seeing them in a new light. 'La tua cantante' was nothing but a story in our ranks... I had always assumed that it was used as an excuse when a member of the guard had killed conspicuously. _"I couldn't resist it! The human was my singer!" _I had heard many variations of the justification many times in my existence. Bella smelled wonderful, and would be hard to resist. But if this was true then Edward's resistance was... unheard of! Impossible. Not only did he resist the urge to kill her... but he had the courage to go back again and again, to hold it... to _kiss_ it! It made me thirsty just thinking about it... _Sorry Edward._

Aro's laugh distracted me. "If I hadn't smelled her through your memories, I wouldn't have believed the call of anyone's blood could be so strong. I've never felt anything like it myself. Most of us would trade much for such a gift..."

I wondered what I would trade, the idea of such blood appealing to me made me want to scour the earth for it. Search every human for the rest of my existence just _hoping _to find my singer.

"…And yet you –"

"Waste it." Edward interrupted, mocking humour clouding his tone.

It reminded me of a similar conversation Aro had had with Carlisle almost three hundred years ago.

"_Carlisle, my friend. We are about to feed, wont you consider joining us?"_ _Aro chimed._

"_Aro, you ask me this every week and every week I give you the same answer." Carlisle smiled._

"_And every week I will try to convince you to embrace what you are!"_

"_It is something that I would never even consider. Aro, you of all people know the sincerity behind my words and the reasons behind my decisions."_

_Aro laughed. "You don't know what you're missing."_

"_But I am gaining so much more, friend."_

_Aro's hands gestured apologetically. "As you wish. I'll see you in a few hours."_

_We walked with Aro back to the same hall where we were standing now. "So unusual." Aro shrugged. "The poor man doesn't even realise what he is wasting."_

To my right, Caius shifted in his seat. He was done with the pointless conversation Aro was having, infuriated by his nonchalance. I could hear his teeth grinding together. I hoped that Aro would never stop talking, for when he stopped, a sentence would be passed.

Aro was still talking, reminiscing about Carlisle as I had been.

_Edward, it won't be long now. I don't know what I can do to help you... Theoretically there should be no way out for you... but I would have said the same thing last night. So many things have changed, so many things are different, so many things are wrong... but it could save your lives. Do whatever you can do to impress him. If Aro wishes you to live then Caius will not be able to go against him. But if Aro cannot find any justification then there will be nothing even he can do. There are answers all around you... in the thoughts of everyone here. But only you can get them… _how I wished I could.

Edwards face was blank, not letting anyone in on our secret conversation. But suddenly his expression changed. His eyes widened and his body tensed.

Aro just chuckled. "Don't be disturbed. I mean her no harm. But I am so curious, about one thing in particular." He looked intensely at Bella for a split second before turning back to Edward. "May I?" He asked, holding his hand out. He wanted to read her thoughts... but surely he would have been able to hear them through Edward?

"Ask her." Edward said simply.

"Of course, how rude of me. Bella?" He spoke to her for the first time. "I am fascinated that you are the one exception to Edward's impressive talent -"

'_Fascinating!' _This was it! This is what Aro had been referring to. Edward cannot hear Bella's thoughts. And it was not a common case... she was the 'one exception'. And now Aro wanted to see if she was the exception for him as well? His outreached hand suggested that I was right.

Aro's abilities had progressed immensely since I have known him. At first he was able to hear a few minutes worth of memories, then hours... then days... then years. And three thousand years later he could hear every though you have ever had. But in all that time he has never met someone whose mind was strong enough to keep him out. _"Such a shame though, to loose such a fascinating being…" _I remembered again. Aro didn't want to lose this girl!

I looked at Edward's worried eyes. _You have to let him... this could be it Edward... this could save your lives! If he fails also... well... it would hurt him to lose such an anomaly!_

"So very interesting that such a thing should occur..." Aro continued.

Edward still looked worried, but at the same time... intrigued.

_She'll be fine Edward... there is nothing being risked. Aro has a refined sense of control – you know that._

His face relaxed just as the girl looked at him again, searching for reassurance. He encouraged her forward and she raised her trembling hand towards Aro.

I tried not to show my smile as Aro's face fell – obviously failing to penetrate the mortals mind. "So very interesting..."

_Wow, Edward... Three thousand years of mind reading and his stopped by a human girl. She's something special..._

Edward smiled at what I hoped were my thoughts. Bella looked back at him again seeing nothing but a smug face.

Aro started to step backwards looking thoughtfully between our three guests. I knew that look too well... he _wanted_ them, looking at them in a completely different light... as three immortals, dressed in black cloaks, drifting by his side with burning red eyes. For it wasn't just Bella that was special... they all were... exceptionally.

"A first... I wonder if she is immune to our other talents..." It appeared as though Aro's experiments were not over. I thought to my self who he would choose... Chelsea already admitted that she couldn't get a read on the girl so perhaps he would ask me, or Afton. Memory manipulation was his gift, the ability to make anyone – immortal or not – forget, with a simple touch. Well, technically we immortals could never forget. We remembered in such vivid detail that our intelligent minds remembered everything. Afton's ability worked by numbing or paralysing a particular part of your mind which was associated with a certain memory – or memories – making it impossible for your mind to think about it. But it worked so well that you wouldn't be able to even consider that your thoughts had been tampered with. However, as soon as you were reminded of the memories you had lost then the electrical links in your mind begin to recharge and reconnect… and then it's only a matter of time before the subject will remember everything again.

But Aro's eyes did not even pass to my gifted friend. Instead - to my horror - it was Jane's eyes that Aro found. "Jane, dear."

That's too far!

"No!" Edward snarled, echoing my opinion.

His sister grabbed hold of his arm, but he shook off her tiny hand easily.

"Yes master?" She almost sang, questioning him as though she didn't understand what he was asking. But her sickly smile showed her excitement about hurting the girl.

Edward was roaring from the centre of the room and behind him Felix was smiling widely – just waiting for him to flip.

I looked at my large colleague with worried eyes, but he just winked wickedly.

_Edward please calm down! This won't help anyone! _I said, but doubted that he was even listening. Alice's pleading eyes looked as though she was trying to get through exactly the same message... I wonder what she had seen.

My eyes fluttered behind the three of them again just in time to see Felix take a step forward. Aro gave him one quick look and the brute stopped immediately.

"I wondered, my dear one, if Bella is immune to _you_..."

There was a rumble in Edward's chest. If possible he looked even more demonic, primal even. But Bella didn't seem to care as he put her behind his back. She even pulled herself closer towards him, going against any survival instincts her human mind had.

Caius chuckled once lowly to himself and moved forwards. I was right... Aro was putting on a show which Caius certainly didn't want to miss, Jane's sadistic side in kin to his.

"Don't'" Alice breathed, seeing something which had obviously not yet happened.

Edward was already in the air before Alice had finished the word. His eyes were fixed on Jane, his hands reached out towards her. We all knew what was coming now, it was almost _too_ expectable. Edward fell to the ground in no time at all. His body arching in unnatural ways, though no sound escaped his lips.

I had to look away for if I kept my eyes on the contorted boy I wouldn't be able to control my reactions.

"Stop!" Bella squealed, her voice rough and hoarse. She looked directly at Jane, her eyes were steady, not afraid. She looked as though – if she was able – that she would launch herself across the room and rip of the sadistic girls head. There was such courage from the human girl which, I had no doubt in thinking, stemmed from her undying love for Edward Cullen.

"Jane." Aro said finally, as though he was teasing with her playfully.

Bella looked at Edward now, while she struggled in Alice's tiny, but strong, arms.

"He's fine." Alice soothed, as Jane's eyes looked back to our master.

Aro gestured again to Bella and Jane smiled evilly, her eyes smug and confident.

Edward stood and his head moved rapidly between Jane and Bella.

I was waiting for it, for her mortal screams to fill the stone room... but they never came... I waited still, perhaps Jane was playing with he girl... but still... there was nothing. I looked back at Edward, hoping the answers would be in his expression... Relief, undeniable relief.

My head wasn't the only one to turn back to Jane, who was no longer smiling. Her face was _infuriated. _Her chest and shoulders rising as she panted angrily. I looked over to Chelsea and Afton who were smiling along with me, enjoying that someone had finally put the spoilt child in her place... the fact that it was a human made it so much better. Santiago even laughed once under his breath.

Aro laughed darkly. "This is wonderful!"

Jane hissed loudly, her knees bent and she leaned forwards. Her anger was evidently getting the best of her and her instinct cried to attack.

Aro stopped her with a simple look. "Don't be put out dear one. She confounds us all." He didn't sound sympathetic though. He sounded _pleased. _

Though her body relaxed her eyes still glared at the defenceless Bella. I wondered if she was still trying to force her pain upon her.

Aro laughed again, though slightly quieter. "You're very brave Edward, to endure in silence. I asked Jane to do that to me once, just out of curiosity."

I cringed at the memory. Jane had protested at first, not wanting to harm her Master, but eventually agreed. Aro had fallen to the floor immediately, screaming and writhing in pain. As though it was second nature, myself and the rest of the guard ran towards Jane in an attempt to stop her – to save our leader. She took her eyes off Aro quickly and had floored the rest of us before the second was over. In an attempt to protect his sister from any harm, Alec had put each of us under his mental cloud and everything went dark. It was so bewildering – to still have your thoughts but no senses... When they finally came back, the scene in front of me was completely different. Guards had lashed out under the confusion, but had no idea what they were doing. Some were left without limbs, while another lay in pieces. Everything was a mess, apart from the angelic Jane and Alec who just stood with smug looks on their faces. Needless to say, it never happened again.

Aro's deep inhale brought me back to the present.

"So what do we do with you now?" He said, finally getting to the reason we were all here.

Alice's body stiffened and no more than a tenth of a second later, Edwards did as well. Perhaps Alice had seen what would happen and Edward picked it from her thoughts.

"I don't suppose there's any chance that you've changed your mind? You're talent would be an excellent addition to our little company." Aro said, in a friendly and hopeful manner.

Without a direct order – because she was so used to it – Chelsea's eyes focused strongly on Edward. I could tell she was trying hard. She had mentioned yesterday that his links with his family were strong and almost impossible to break, but it didn't mean that she wasn't able to form some synthetic bond with _us_.

From the other side of the hall, I could see Caius look at me questioningly. He knew I wasn't working as I was supposed to – making Chelsea's gift undeniable.

I looked at Edward, his eyes were hard and his head was turning away. He had looked the same when he was trying to resist my gift all of those hours ago.

Despite the strength of his ties to his family, it was hard to defy Chelsea. He needed help.

I sent a wave of persuasion to him, trying to convince him to leave. But unlike Chelsea, I couldn't work on just one person. My gift emanated from me and hit anyone in its path.

Beside the human girl both Felix and Jane grimaced, probably fighting to keep their feet on the ground. Realisation hit them quickly and they both turned their heads to me with an accusing glance.

"I'd... rather... not." Edward finally managed to reply.

Aro raised an eyebrow to Chelsea, but didn't mention it. Instead he turned to Alice. "Alice? Would you perhaps be interested in joining us?"

"No thank you." She said easily, my tsunami of persuasion still enveloping her, meaning Chelsea's work did no good.

"And you Bella?" Aro said suddenly, surprising us all. But of course, Aro would want the girl. Not to drink... but to keep. I looked around the room at his unique collection of immortals – a collection that included me. _We all have our purpose, _I had though to myself earlier… who would have guessed that our purpose was to be nothing more than a part of somebody's _pastime_.

I was stumped, I didn't know if my talent would work on the girl... but then again, neither did Chelsea's. She would be able to make the decision without any manipulation.

Edward hissed.

"What?" Caius barked.

"Caius, surely you can see the potential?" Aro swooned. "I haven't seen a prospective talent so promising since we found Alec and Jane!"

Jane's head shot to her master, insulted by the comparison between herself and the human.

"Can you imagine the possibilities when she is one of us?" Aro smiled.

I turned my head, slightly – almost unnoticeably – towards Caius. I knew he wouldn't let this go. He wanted this girl dead. He was not interested in her potential ability as Aro was. He believed – and rightly so – that we were already powerful enough to survive and to continue to patrol our world. He was not a collector, he was a punisher.

Gently and subtly, I attempted to persuade Caius to refrain from arguing. He wouldn't feel anything if I did it right. He would just feel as though nothing more needed to be said.

Edward was still angry.

_I don't know what to do Edward. Once Aro wants something it's hard to tempt him otherwise... I'm trying so hard to stop Caius from wanting to kill you all. _

"No, thank you." Bella's voice whispered. It was so quiet, breaking as she spoke. So human.

"That's unfortunate." Aro sighed. "Such a waste."

An audible gasp came from my lips.

Join us or die? Was that the option? If Aro didn't get them – no one did? Was he really jealous of his former friend _that_ much? I doubted that the honest and honourable Carlisle would ever dream of using his family's abilities for his own gain!

_Edward! This is not right. Tell them! The answers are all around you. Find a way out. Accuse them! _

Edward hissed. "Join or die, is that it? I suspected as much when we were brought to this room. So much for your laws." He spoke strongly and had chosen his words carefully.

In my peripheral vision I saw Chelsea look at me with an angry and disappointed expression. She bowed her head once again and spoke gently in Marcus's ear.

In reply, he whispered something into hers.

She stood erect and the tickle in my stomach became more pronounced. I knew what she was doing, and a part of me wondered why she had waited so long. Perhaps my friend was letting me make my own choices, but now couldn't ignore the fact that those choices would lead to my lynching.

I looked back at Edward and I could feel my bond with him weaken. With every nanosecond that passed, the more I didn't really want to help him. I shot my head to Chelsea quickly and I could feel my jaw tighten. I was hurt by her manipulation. Why couldn't she see what I could? That this was wrong now! That everything we do is wrong!

I fought against her, persuading her to stop what she was doing. Never before had I attempted to _counteract _her abilities. I imagined that whatever invisible atoms carried our talents were clashing somewhere in the space between us.

"Of course not." Aro spoke, almost insulted by Edward's words. Something I was hoping for. "We were already convened here Edward, awaiting Heidi's return. Not for you."

"Aro, the law claims them." Caius interrupted.

_Argue Edward!_

"How so?" He asked.

Caius scowled and pointed his long, stony finger at Bella. "She knows too much. You have exposed our secrets!"

There was no arguing against that... but if Edward was going to be punished for that, he would already be dead.

"There are a few humans in on your charade here, as well." Edward said with no help from me. I hadn't even considered Gianna, she was always so _insignificant. _

But Edward had chosen the perfect counter argument. This had always been a sore spot for Caius, something he tried not to think about. But Aro had always argued that the petty job would always be wasted on an immortal.

"Yes," Caius attempted to smile, hiding how this angered him. "But when they are no longer useful to us they will serve to sustain us. That is not your plan for this one. If she betrays our secrets, are you prepared to destroy her? I think not."

"I wouldn't -" Bella began to argue, but Caius silenced her quickly, without a word. She was brave to stand up to him... or just naive.

"Nor do you intend to make her one of us. Therefore, she is a vulnerability. Though it is true for this only her life is to forfeit. You may leave if you wish."

Edward bared his teeth. Of course he would never agree, and Caius would get his wish, having reason to kill them all.

"That's what I thought." Caius smirked, his eyes flickered to Felix who leaned forward, eager for the girls blood and the fight that would surely follow.

I couldn't do anything with Caius now. His mind was made up and his passion for our law would make him undeterred.

My attention drifted to Aro. It was obvious that he did not want to lose these three impressive beings. _Say something Aro, say something! _

"Unless..." He breathed, "Unless you _do_ intend to give her immortality?"

"And if I do?" Edward sparred, though there was no confidence in his words.

Aro smiled. "Why, then you would be free to go home and give my regards to my friend Carlisle... but I'm afraid you would have to mean it."

Caius's scowling face turned up into a smiled. He was in a win-win situation... either all three would be killed as he wished, or Bella would be changed and there would be nothing to worry about. But it was obvious from his expression that he was expecting the first.

I rejoiced in my head. They were going to get out – alive! Well, if Aro kept his word. And I presumed that he would as he had already made it clear how much he wanted them. But Edward still lacked the joy and confidence I had expected he would have... and then it dawned on me... why wasn't Bella one of us already? He hadn't changed her. They were obviously in love, but he hadn't changed her... So he didn't want to? He didn't want to change her? Why? _Why, Edward?_

"Mean it, please." Bella whispered, looking into Edward's eyes. She knew it too.

_Edward Cullen! You'd rather die – rather she'd die! – than change her? I always knew you were a bit strange, but this is insane! _

Edward looked at me pitifully. 'I can't.' He mouthed.

I physically took a step back, in shock.

_After all I've done for you? Do you even realise that my alliance with you will be seen as nothing more than treason? I didn't mind because I was giving my life so that you three would live, because it was the right thing to do! But this is not right any more! I have fought for our cause and defended our laws for hundreds of times longer than your entire existence and you're breaking them! As much as I detest what we have become, I can not – and will not - turn my back on the rules that I have fought to uphold for two thousand years! I've done as much as I can to prevent you from being killed and now you're throwing it in my face! _I felt completely betrayed.

Alice suddenly stepped forward, begrudgingly, holding up her hand.

Aro took it, smiling happily. He stood there for a long time. Too long. The guards around me were getting irritated.

After a long moment, Aro laughed. "That was _fascinating_!"

"I'm glad you enjoyed it..." She replied deprecatingly.

He stared at her in wonder. "To see the things that you have seen – especially the ones that haven't happened yet!"

"But that will!" Her high soprano voice was strong and determined.

"Yes, yes, it's quite determined. Certainly there is no problem." Aro waved them away, still high from his futuristic experience.

Disappointed looks resonated throughout the guard.

"Aro..." Caius warned.

"Dear Caius, do not fret! Think of the possibilities! They do not join us today, but we can always hope for the future. Imagine the joy young Alice alone would bring to our little household... besides, I'm so terribly curious to see how Bella turns out..."

"We are free to go then?" Edward said strongly.

"And we will visit you as well..." Caius whispered, "To be sure that you follow through on your side. Were I you, I wouldn't wait to long. We do not offer second chances."

Edward's jaw clenched as he nodded once at one of Caius's silent thoughts.

Caius turned gracefully and floated back to where we still stood with Marcus.

Felix groaned, disappointed once again that he did not get his appetiser.

"Ah Felix, Heidi will be here at any moment. Patience." Aro soothed.

"Hmm," Edward sighed, "In that case, perhaps we'd better leave sooner rather than later." He turned to leave, but caught my eye as he did. His eyes were apologetic, 'thank you' he mouthed.

I turned my head away, still hurt by his actions. If it wasn't for his sister then all four of us would be dead... _at least now it's only I that shall perish._

"Yes, that's a good idea..." Aro said, hurriedly. "Accidents do happen... please wait until after dark though if you don't mind."

"Of course." Edward agreed, though I was sure he wanted nothing more than to get out of here. The heartbeat of the girl rose, obviously she was scared to stay any longer as well.

"It suits you." Aro complemented after giving Edward Felix's cloak.

Edward laughed, but stopped suddenly, looking over his left shoulder to the long corridor behind them. "Thank you Aro, we'll wait below."

_I wish you the best of luck, Edward. _Though my thoughts couldn't help but show my disappointment in him. But I had more things to worry about now._ To you and your family. Watch your backs... they are not going to drop this easily. You're as much as a threat as you are a prize to be won. Take care of yourself, and your Bella._

Edward smiled genuinely, in reply.

"Good bye friends!" Aro called.

I could hear Heidi approaching now, the scent of at least thirty humans following her... no, forty seven.

Edward and Alice rushed now, pulling Bella along with them.

"Welcome guests! Welcome to Volterra!" Aro bellowed dramatically.

The doors shut just as Jane picked her first victim. Sometimes she was kind and killed them instantly... but she was angry today. _Infuriated _even. She knocked down three of them one after the other and their screams filled the hall. I watched as she just stood there, choosing to inflict pain before she fed. She focused on one in particular – a young girl with brown wavy hair with deep brown eyes.

Felix was the first to kill, choosing to slash a man's throat and bask in the blood spouting from it.

The scent and heat of the blood made everyone give in to their instinct and they all fed, biting and draining.

The sound of the doors opening grabbed my attention. Some part of my mind hoped it would be Edward coming back for me, taking advantage of my coven's distractions. But I was not surprised at all when Demetri practically flew into the room, his eyes burning with thirst.

He jumped on one of Jane's 'toys', attempting to drain it from the neck. I doubted that he had even started by the time he was writhing around on the floor with Jane standing over him.

"She's mine!" She hissed ferociously.

He stood and stepped back carefully, and leapt on an elderly lady hiding in the corner.

My body was still, just taking in everything that was happening, as if it was happening in slow motion. For some reason, I was no longer thirsty. Edward Cullen's judgment day may have come to an end... but mine was about to begin.


	5. Consciousness

**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of its characters**

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And as we walk through the dimming light, oh darling understand...

The scene around me turned into the usual feeding frenzy. The screams filled the hall as they always did and the pitiful humans tried to run or fight us off as they always did. There was only one thing that was not familiar about this picture…That for the first time in my existence, I was not a part of it. Instead I stood on the edge, taking everything in, analysing everything… everyone… even myself.

I had always considered myself as a well respected immortal, somebody who our kind looked up too, someone who understood the importance of our laws and the absolute necessity of enforcing them. I had never even contemplated that I had actually been seen as a vicious, uncompassionate, utilitarian… only bred to serve. A machine… not even that… just _part_ of a machine!

I had never been by myself… never! Not even in my short human life. I had always fallen into a regimented pattern, just doing as I was told and not questioning anything… until yesterday that is. No, Edward Cullen himself had not torn me away from this coven, but his presence had show the Volturi in their true light – and didn't want to be a part of it.

But for some reason I couldn't help but feel that I have had these thoughts before… perhaps I have always known on some level of the deception and fraud behind our actions.

I tried very hard to scan my thoughts… every thought I ever had, trying to find a time when I did not fall for the charms of the Volturi. My flawless memory thought back to the only human memory I have - the only memory because I had fought hard to hold on to it, because it was the best, the worst, the last and the first day of my life.

The scene in front of me was not just a different time, but a different world. I did not have a special life, I was not a privileged child. I lived in a time of Gods and there was no man, woman or child who denied their existence like there was today. My family and I lived in a small town on the outskirts of Olympia, Greece, a place which sat at the bottom of Mount Olymina – the place that was referred to in Greek Mythology as Mount Olympus – The home of the Gods. Every day we walked to the great mountain and left an offering at the bottom. We were never by ourselves; there were always many people with us. Each of us would pray for hours; all wishing for a different life than the one we were given.

It was not many days after my twentieth year when my mother passed into the underworld. Hades had decided to cut the cord of her life, but I still carried on the tradition, not even considering doing anything other than what I had been taught. But the first day I went without my mother, something changed within me. Instead of hoping for a better life, I _asked _for one. I prayed to the Gods to come down from the clouds and give me answers! I wanted an immortal life as they had!

A few moments later, perhaps a minute, the man standing next to me muttered under his breath. I would not have heard it if it were not for my close proximity to him. He looked up, with his eyes wide and bellowed. "The Gods. They are coming!"

Gasps echoed in my ears as I followed the man's gaze up the great mountain in time to see six figures floating down it – three male, three female. There was no doubt that they were gods, even through those weak human eyes I could see that they were all inhumanly beautiful, with skin as smooth as the great marble pillars in the temples dedicated to them and which glistened with a thousand diamonds.

The humans around me dropped to their knees and I swiftly followed. Had they heard me? Had they come to grant my wish? I smiled as I looked into the faces of the immortals in front of me. Any of the females could easily have been the beautiful Aphrodite, but the males did not look anything like the strong, large Gods that I had been told about…

The one with slick black hair spoke first, in a tongue that I didn't recognise. The other five listened intently and nodded once after he had finished, each of them standing indisputably still.

He stepped forward and grabbed the hand of a man standing on the far right of our group, pulling him strongly from his knees as he did so. The un-named God 'tut-ed' obviously, and then moved on to the next, repeating the same action. The pattern changed slightly when he reached a young couple – not much older than I was. He looked at them for a long while, as if he was examining them.

One of the females – who looked extremely similar to the one leading them - took a timid step forwards and asked him a gentle question. The dark haired man shook his head, but I couldn't help think he found the mortal pair in front of him very interesting.

It only took him a few moments to get to me. Without fully understanding what I was doing, I held out my hand, ready for him to take it. He smiled widely and gripped it gently in both of his. I cringed under the ice cold touch – I had never felt anything so cold. In shock I looked questioningly into his eyes, but found my feet stepping backwards, my instincts obviously telling me to get away before my conscious mind could. The eyes looking back at me were the deepest shade of red. The colour of blood.

"Do not be afraid of me young Corin. I will not harm you." He said, in my own language. Gently stroking the side of my face. I shuddered again.

Another of the Gods spoke, the only blonde male, who did not look at all impressed as the other five beautiful, but admittedly frightening faces. I did not understand what he was saying, once again. They all seemed to be switching between varieties of languages. The one still holding my hand nodded and replied once again so that I could understand. "Yes brother, she is the one who brought us down." He inhaled deeply. "So very _interesting_. What a valuable outing."

He turned sharply back to the females behind him and ordered an instruction at them. Before I had time to blink one of them held me in her similar ice cold grip and threw me over her shoulders. Beside me, the two other females grabbed the young couple and in unison carried all of us effortlessly high beyond the cloud bank leaving nothing behind but the three males and the piercing sound of human screams.

"You are not Gods!" I screamed. "They are not Gods!" I cried over and over until my voice was lost – just hoping that the humans below me would hear my warning.

I don't remember much after that. I cried, for the last time in my entire existence, I cried. And then I burned. And then I woke up, and haven't changed since. I never questioned the Volturi again – because I was a part of it now. My wish to be immortal had been granted… I was a God now.

Chelsea and Afton were of course the couple that had been taken along with me – Aro had seen something in them as he did with me. He had explained everything to us and there was certainly no denying it. We could feel the strength… and the thirst. When we were strong and disciplined enough we were taught how to fight and how to use our abilities, which Aro hand hoped and assumed would manifest with in us. Thanks to Caius's superior knowledge of battle tactics and fighting skills, he soon moulded the three of us into excellent warriors – even without using our abilities - and a few hundred years later the nine of us singlehandedly overthrew the Romanian dynasty. Myself, Chelsea, Didyme and Afton did not wish to see the remaining Romanians burning to death so we left… an act that – unknowingly at the time – preserved the quality of our skin and eyes, but desecrated the ones who stayed behind.

Retrospectively, I can now see that _that _was the turning point… The point where we turned from a coven, into an empire. And we did as any other empire did to survive – we expanded.

We found Demetri in the middle of Italy, carting a dozen slaves to Rome. He was in charge of finding the best fighters, the best servants, the best gladiators – and apparently he was good at his job! Aro changed him as we devoured the rest of the Roman soldiers as well as the slaves they were guarding. A few weeks afterwards we found Volterra, naming it after Aro and Didyme's surname. We found Eleazar, Renata and Santiago in Spain – each of them already existed as vampires.

Heidi was next. Her extremely powerful ability meant that Eleazar was drawn all the way to the country now named Finland when the young Viking slave was turned into a vampire. Caius found Felix in Germany in the 10th Century and took him under his wing. He shared knowledge with him that he did not with the rest of us. That – combined with his sheer strength – made him our coven's most superior fighter.

And of course Jane and Alec joined us in the 17th Century. Many others came and some even left between then and now. Our numbers changed and so did the hierarchy… the only thing that hasn't changed is the fact that we have always been the most powerful, the most formidable the most undeniable coven ever to have existed.

And I loved it, loved being a part of it. It was me who called the masters and their wives down to us at the bottom of Mount Olymina. My sheer persuasion – even in my human form - caused them to go against their secretive rules and walk amongst the humans for the first time in their lives. It was this action that started the following two millennia of recruitment.

I had believed that this recruitment was to enable us to fight for our cause at a higher level and to defend our kind…but I was wrong…it all seems so simple now, and I'm _embarrassed _that I never saw it before. It was only ever for _him…_ for Aro… Our powers gave _him _power… that's all it ever came down to.

"Not hungry, Corin?" Aro asked suddenly and crookedly, making me physically jump. He – and the rest of the guard – had finished feeding.

"No Aro… I am not." I answered simply, looking around the now still scene in front of me. There was no warm blood left. Bodies of humans lay beaten, broken, dismembered and ripped to shreds all around the room. Some of my coven members were wiping their mouths, some just stood over victorious piles and some were already leaving – removing their blood soaked clothes as they did and looking through the bodies to find some replacements. I rolled my eyes and cringed, why did the act – something I had been doing so naturally for two and a half millennia - seem so repulsive to me now? I was thirsty, that was for sure, but the thought of feeding made me feel… _nauseous_. "I was just… thinking." I continued.

"Of course. Perhaps you wouldn't mind cleaning up in here then while the rest of us clean _ourselves._" He laughed, as though there was nothing wrong. He gestured towards Felix, practically covered from head to toe in blood.

"Yes master." I breathed, wanting nothing more to leave the hall. I turned my back to him, exiting the grand hall to go and fetch the simple cleaning materials.

I had only taken one step into the cold corridor before I froze in my place. Down the hallway to my right was our continuing network of corridors which would quickly lead me to the small and insignificant store cupboard. Only in this circumstance, it wasn't insignificant… it was a symbol. A symbol of my service… of my slavery.

But, to my left sat Edward, Alice and Bella. A symbol of my hope, and of my freedom. Could I just leave? Would it be that simple? Aro had let Eleazar leave without fuss… but Didyme… why had he been so against her leaving? Because if she left Marcus would leave? What was so special about Marcus? What was so special about me? One thing was for sure – he didn't need me anymore! Less than he needed Eleazar!

But Eleazar never betrayed Aro. He left for love, not for treason. In Aro's mind it is not _loosing _me that would present the problem… it would be because someone else would be _gaining _me. I am _his _property and I had a strong feeling that if he can't have me then no one else can.

I felt as though I had been caught in the crossfire of a war raging between reality and my destiny, the truth and the lies that have been fed to me for my whole life, the pull of innocence and the pull of power, the strength of good and the force of evil. I was been held in place and torn apart at the same time. I couldn't help but think that the next step I took would change my future.

My mind was made up… if I had to fight my way out of here then so be it. I am not a slave, I am no ones property. I just want to be me!

My body rocked to the left ever so slightly. I would not make Edward, his sister and his mate leave with me for the danger would be too great for them, but perhaps I would find them one day and find out what it would be like to have a family again…

But before my foot could touch the ground, I felt a quiver in my stomach and instead I took a step backwards – uncontrollably. My feet were stuck to the ground again, but in a different way – as if they were a human's stuck in mud or glue. Taking a deep breath, I smiled as I looked over my shoulder to see Chelsea standing behind me. The look of betrayal was clear to see and it shook me to my core.

_I'm not turning my back on you,_ I wanted to scream. _I'm just doing what is right!_

For a moment, I forgot about everything and all I could focus on was her… My dearest friend. I tried to persuade her to come with me, but she just shook her head taking a step back, holding on to Afton's hand for support. Leaving would be impossible for her, for it would mean leaving Afton. She would never wish to put his life at risk by asking him to join her… so if he stayed, she stayed.

'Please', she mouthed and her forehead creased.

I felt like she had thrown a lasso around my waist and was pulling it as hard as she could towards her. I could feel the rope dig into my body, trapping me. I had never had this feeling before… because my tie to Chelsea had never been artificial before, it had always been real.

I forgot about Edward and Carlisle and Alice and Bella. All I could feel now was the pull, and my body wanted nothing more than to stop resisting it. So it did. My feet turned around to face Chelsea and she smiled in return. Her shoulders fell from their tense state as she breathed out in relief.

"Corin…" Aro swooned from far behind them, raising his eyes brows.

"Yes master." I said again, though I thought that the words should have dissolved from the figurative venom on my tongue.

I stepped to the right sharply wanting to hide my sour face from Aro's eyes. It only took twenty three steps to get to our cleaning cupboard, but every step felt like a lie. I didn't want to be here anymore and it felt good to finally admit it.

It hadn't taken me long to tidy up the hall. The dripping of the blood into the drain in the centre of the room made the only sound, and provided a fitting atmosphere to this bizarre, unreal and doomed situation.

Suddenly the grand doors creaked open. I turned my head around casually, but no one was there. However, the sickly sweet scent coming from behind me practically announced her arrival.

"Oh Corin, you _finally_ did a good job with something." Jane said mockingly attempting to lean over my shoulder, but only managing to look around me. "Aro should have employed you as a cleaner sooner."

Before I even realised that I made the decision I had turned around and grabbed the little spoilt brat by her jugular. Though my reactions were quicker than Jane's, they were not quick enough to avoid what was coming next. My fingers had only just touched her hard skin when I was pounded to the floor, blinded by invisible flames. My body contorted in all directions and I screamed so loud that my voice should have been hoarse.

"Jane!" Aro's reprimanding voice rang across the hall.

She stopped straight away and the pain evaporated, leaving nothing behind – as though it was never really there.

"Yes master?" She breathed gently.

"Save your games for later. There is much I need you to do." He enticed. And then she was at his side and already leaving me behind.

I listened carefully as their footsteps disappeared into nothing.

Nothing…

No one was here.

No one was watching me.

No one was guarding me.

No one was forcing me to stay…

No one could stop me.

The adrenaline rushed through me body. I didn't know what use running would do… Demetri would find me wherever I went. But I was faster than him, faster than anyone that would be following me. I would have to run for the rest of my life… perhaps they would give up trying… one day.

I got up from the floor and my feet moved softly and quietly through the corridors which were still fresh with the evening light, now forming longer shadows on the marble floors. I had started running and I believed that I would not be able to stop for a while.

I was moving fast now – very fast, so fast that my mind didn't recognise Marcus's scent until I had got to him. I practically ran into him.

His withered, down heartened face looked down to me. His filmy eyes closed slowly and eventually opened again. Chelsea's hold over him had him almost sedated and I wondered if that too would have been my fate ultimately if I were to stay here.

"I feel sorry for you Marcus." I whispered, shaking my head. "I do not wish to share your fate. So please, let me leave." I moved to his left hastily, but he grabbed my shoulder. Not strongly – but it shocked me… I had never seen him move so quickly.

"Corin…" He sighed and turned my body so we were standing side by side and walked me forwards – in the opposite direction to the way I was going. "You wish to leave me and my brothers?"

"They are nothing to me now." I exhaled.

"Yes, I can see that…" He emphasised, though he sounded as though he would fall asleep any second. "…You managed to break the tie all by yourself… no matter how much I asked Chelsea to step in." He sighed and stopped, gesturing me forwards. I had assumed he would walk me back to our communal chambers. Everyone was standing there already. "But I suppose it's not the first time…"

"Marcus!" Aro warned, now appearing behind the opening doors… "There is no need to bring up the past."

I scoffed again. Perhaps Marcus _would _think differently if he knew the truth about _his _past…

"Glad you could join us finally, Corin." He continued.

I chose to ignore him as I went to stand beside Chelsea as Marcus moved beside Caius. But Aro walked towards me anyway. He held out his hand to take mine, but I did not offer him it. He smiled and exhaled and stroked the side of my face. The action mimicked the first time he had touched me all those lifetimes ago, and once again I shuddered under his hands.

"Hmm…" He murmured. "A shame…" He bent his head to my ear. "A waste." He added, quietly enough that nobody else would be able to hear. "Alec!" He called suddenly. The young vampire was by his side in no time. "Go and tell our guests that they are free to leave. And then return here."

Alec bowed his head and fluttered to the door.

"Demetri, Felix!" Caius called in the same summoning tone. "Follow them until they leave."

"Yes brother, good idea…" Aro agreed as the two guards went to leave. "Chelsea and Afton, why don't you join them?"

Everybody stopped where they were. Chelsea tilted her head to the side in surprise. This was not normal procedure… but what was normal about this day?

"The rest of you…" He made a point of turning his back to me to address the rest of the guard. I was not included in his orders. "You may go about your day as you wish." He flicked his hand in a nonchalant manner before turning to me.

"Yes master." Chelsea replied, following Demetri and Felix, but still looking quizzical. She knew something was wrong… as did I.

The sound of the modern doors closing echoed around the nearly empty room. Only the brothers remained - standing patiently. The twins had already returned, now standing close together blocking the exit into the hallway. I laughed ironically in my mind. It was all well and good believing I would fight for my freedom… but these beings had no intention of even giving me that option.

"Why did you bring me here Marcus?" I said calmly.

"Because I was asked to…" His eyes flickered to Aro. "And I trust their judgment."

I smiled crookedly, playing the game that they were so good at. "You trust them do you? I wonder if you'd trust them as much if you knew what I knew…"

A rumble sounded in Caius's chest, but Marcus just stood still, just as composed and as uninterested as usual. Ever since Didyme was killed, Marcus had not been the same. His happiness was ripped away from him the very second Didyme was. Once again, there was one perpetrator of this act, and as usual that person managed to manipulate his way out of any trouble.

Caius twisted his head to Aro who just stared intently at me. I wondered if he was considering how far I would take this.

"Why did you send Chelsea away, Aro? We may need her if you wish to allow this atrocity to continue on her path!" He said, nodding his head to me.

Aro smiled, "Believe me brother, I have all I need here."

"You think I won't do it? There are many secrets of yours that I know Aro… how far will you let me go before you do what you indeed to do?" I jeered, knowing why I was here. Join or die, Edward had said earlier… the option for me was not much different. _Stay _or die!

"Corin, all I know is that even though you do not agree with my… methods and my ethos… you still stick by are values – religiously so. You know how important we are to our species and you know that in order to upkeep our laws then we are _all _needed here!" He opened his arms.

And I couldn't deny his words. "I do not wish to betray you, Aro… I just wish to leave… to be free."

"No, Corin… you wish for a family… and it is how you intend to get it that I am betrayed by." He started to monologue in the way only he can. "Carlisle was a dear friend of mine… but what I've seen of him from his adopted _children _worries me. His coven is growing in power – though he does not see it as so. But I'll be damned if I am going to let you run off to him." He stalked towards me. "You. Are. _Mine!_"

"You do not own me!" I screamed. "Nobody does! Why can't I just go away – by myself? Find my own path… my own mate even?"

Aro laughed loudly. "Because you don't want _that,_ Corin! You want to be a Cullen! You even hoped that Edward would have burst through the door to take you away with him!"

I growled.

"You do not deny it?"

I growled louder.

"Last chance, Corin… Are you going to stay? Or are you going to leave?" He asked calmly.

I estimated how long it would take me to reach the door behind me and to escape past it. Not quick enough to avoid Jane's glance – that was for sure. For some reason I did not care. I was done with lying. Done with this charade. I would rather be dead. I had lived hundreds of times longer than I should have. That was all that I could be thankful for. That Aro gave me a purpose… but I could never forgive him for stealing it away from me!

"You know my answer Aro." My eyebrows creased. "I quit."

"Jane, Alec…" He cooed, summoning them forward.

Now it made sense why he had sent my dearest friends away. They would not have allowed this! Aro would have had a riot on his hands. "Chelsea and Afton will know that I have gone… they will know what you have done!"

Aro shrugged. "Chelsea knew more than anyone how much you wished to leave. All I have to say is that I granted your wish…"

And he would get away with it too. "After all I've done for you, Aro… after all the years of service… you will not even grant my wish to leave as you did for Eleazar? You intend to deny me as you did your own sister?" I whimpered.

He stuck out his bottom lip. "You're right! I do owe you much…" He studied me from head to toe. "Such a long time… such a significant waste."

I swallowed harshly.

"I will reward you in the only way I can… no, no, no… the only way I _will…_" He stepped forward and kissed me on the top of me head. "I shall miss you, dear Corin…" He inhaled deeply, and took a step back. "…Alec!"

Jane scowled and hissed from the corner as Alec's mist started to descend… aiming towards myself. "Fine… but I get to rip and burn…" She glared.

Aro smiled. "Very well."

I started to sob… subconsciously and instinctually I stepped backwards, though I knew there was no escaping.

I turned and looked into the window beside me but didn't register the end of the beautiful day past it. Instead my attention was on the reflection looking back at me. The girl in the reflection was a stranger to me now… and I would never get a chance to get to know her. So I just closed my eyes tightly, wanting to step into my impending darkness on my own terms.


	6. Reasons

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Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of its characters

_**(A/N: Thanks to everyone who has commented or favourite-ed this story. It's been really fun to write and to look behind the Volturi's doors and I hope you've enjoyed it too. This is the final chapter :] All my love, Ellie x)**_

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That everything, everything ends.

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_**Epilogue: Edward's Point of View**_

I rushed with Alice and Bella through the crowded square. I wanted nothing more than to leave this place – to get Bella out of here, to make her safe again… though I doubted she would never be safe again. _She could be… without you… _a part of me screamed. Demetri would never be able to find her – if she was by herself. But I couldn't – and never would - do that to her again. _Not unless she orders you away, _the voice whispered to me again. It was right, she may never want to see me again – and that would be the best thing for her. _Or you could change her – it would save you all, _the selfish part of my being suggested. Could I? Could I do that to her? Could I doom the love of my existence? _But it's what she wants! _My mind argued.

_Ergh Edward! You're messing with my head! Just stop it will you? _Alice screamed internally from my side. _I've had enough for one day!_

Unfortunately, it was not the image of Bella in Alice's visions that was changing with my thought patterns – she was a cold skinned immortal in every future that Alice saw… but sometimes I was the one who changed her, sometimes Carlisle, sometimes Alice… and one that made me want to pick her up and run with her forever… Sometimes _Aro._

_Don't be so overdramatic Edward! _She scoffed inside her mind. _What am I saying? That's like telling Bella not to be uncoordinated! _She looked across at Bella who was walking along with us, still in my arms. _Or wear something other than jeans once in a while! _I rolled by eyes and she sighed heavily before continuing._ I'm going to go and pick up mine and Bella's things and find a car…_An image of a few guards picking a fight with Alice cropped up in her mind when she spoke the words. _"There is no crime in our city! From mortals or not!" _They screamed at her. _Gosh they're willing to pick a fight over anything, _She thought to herself before finishing her silent conversation with me…_But not until we're all out of the walls… we don't want to tempt fate! I won't go far so I'll tell you where to meet me in a minute. I'll call Carlisle on my way so don't worry about that. _Her mind flicked forwards into the conversation she would be having shortly. Guilt flooded her thoughts. _Ergh they all think we're dead… _She silently sobbed as she walked away, just from thinking about them.

Of course they would think we're dead! It was impossible to even think about what they must have been going through the past two days – what I had put them through. _Jasper… _I thought, _he thinks Alice is dead… I'm so sorry Jasper, it's all my fault. _Regrettably I knew just how he was feeling. I held Bella closer in my hands. I would not let her out my sight ever again.

I was well out of range of the Volturi layer by now – but the thoughts of some of their guard were still present in my mind. They were following us… apparently making sure we left without causing anymore hassle.

"Ridiculous." I mumbled, hoping they would hear.

Though I couldn't see them, I could identify four different minds following us somewhere in the hidden shadows. But there was one mind missing – one that I hoped I would hear, but feared that I would not.

Corin - She was convinced that she would meet her demise this evening for her alliance with me. But Aro was in two minds. In a way he was thankful for her contribution, for he did not want to lose myself, Alice and Bella - and she had helped to save us. He would have left it at that, and not mentioned it again if it were not for her desire to leave his coven. He was completely enraged by her reassessment of his empire and though he did not admit it allowed, he was jealous of her subconscious wish to join Carlisle one day. A subconscious wish, because Aro had ordered Afton to make it that way…

Three hundred years ago, Corin made the decision to leave with Carlisle – not as a mate, but as I was to him… a companion – a sister of sorts. She thought that her wish would be granted – as Eleazar's had been only a few decades before. But due to his jealously of Carlisle, Aro saw it as abandonment – as treason. In any other circumstance Carlisle would have been 'ended' and the problem would have finished with him. It was their friendship that saved him. Instead Aro instructed Afton to numb her memories of her want to leave with him. The act pained Carlisle too much and was the reason for his eventual departure.

A part of me was delighted when I realised it was Corin's path that I was in two days ago now. I knew enough of her through Carlisle's thoughts to know that she would be the easiest way to Aro. She would listen and understand and would be the easiest route to the brothers. But the darker side of me regretted it – for she was compassionate and poignant and she would never willingly want to end my life.

I was not expecting to experience the latter on such a great level. I was not prepared for her extreme intervention and that she would try her hardest to get me to leave in an attempt to save my life – no matter the cost to her. Everything was going to plan before then. Felix and Demetri acted sooner than I thought they would and I felt confident that they would end my existence, or at least lead me to it. I embraced the moments leading up to their arrival, feeling at peace as they did. But then the most bizarre feeling hit my body – like a wrecking ball – and they only thing I wanted to do was leave. I identified immediately that Corin's ability was washing over me.

Retrospectively – now I know that Bella _is _alive – Corin was the best person I could have come across. The only person who could have saved me. Saved us all.

So where was she now?

"Where's Alice?" Bella asked me suddenly in a panicked tone that mimicked the tone of my own thoughts.

Alice had left a few moments ago. Bella was obviously too tired and distracted to have noticed. "She went to retrieve your bags from where she stashed them this morning." I replied in a calm tone.

Bella paused for a moment before she spoke again. "She's stealing a car too, isn't she?" She guessed correctly.

Alice hadn't said anything because she didn't want Bella to worry, but the girl in my arms knew us too well. I grinned widely. "Not till we're outside."

Bella just nodded once apparently not fazed by grand-theft-auto anymore after the day she had had.

_Why did he send us away?_ A mental voice rang sharply in my head. I identified the mind as the fair haired Chelsea, but her life-long team member was not with her, as they always were.

_Why did he send us away? _She thought over and over again. Her mind was not thinking about her mission as the three males tracking us were, it barely even considered the roofs and alleyways she was leaping over and running through. Suddenly she stopped in her tracks. _You idiot, Chelsea! You naive fool. He didn't want to send us away… he just didn't want us to _stay! "Afton!" She shrieked.

He growled viciously a few metres ahead of her and ran back to her side. "What is it Chelsea?"

I could see her eyes through Afton's mind. They were petrified. "They're going to kill her… We have to go back!" She added, already running from where she came.

Her mind panicked into an irrational state. The only image I could decode was one of Corin.

_They're going to kill Corin?_ Mine and Afton's minds both thought simultaneously.

Afton caught her up immediately, stopping her and keeping her in place by grabbing her shoulders. "What do you mean Chelsea? We can't go back yet – not until _they_ have left our city. Aro has given us a job to - "

"Aro has given us a distraction Afton – nothing else!" She said harshly.

"My love – " He tried to interrupt, but Chelsea's mind was past the point of persuasion.

"I told you what Marcus saw coming from Corin… how she was changing…It's Didyme all over again! He didn't think twice about killing his own sister… do you really think he's going to care about destroying Corin?"

He sighed, "What makes you think he's doing it? And why now?"

"_Think_ about it. He _never _sends us away to do anything, especially when he has the Gruesome Twosome waiting in the wings! Until today! Until now!" She paused. "Tell me, would you really stand there and watch as he tears apart your friend? _My friend?_" _My only true friend, _she added internally. "Or would you want to _do _something to stop it?" An image resounded in her head again and again – jumping into an unwinnable fight to protect her dear friend as if it was more of an instinct than a decision. "Afton, I can't let this happen." She said as her mind confirmed her words just as it drifted out of my range.

I didn't know what had happened since we left their hall, but something was wrong. I was out of the loop, but there was one thing I knew for sure. I had put Corin in danger. She had done all she could to save us, and now I was doing nothing in return.

If I had nothing to lose I wouldn't have thought twice about returning with Chelsea and Afton to return the favour… but my life was in my hands – literally. There was nothing in this world that could tear me away from Bella… nothing.

We were under the gates now. Seeing this, Alice popped open a car door around the corner from where we were, giving me the signal to walk Bella around. Alice was speaking in a rushed voice to Carlisle and Jasper, promising to call them properly when we got to the plane.

"I'm sorry." Alice said as we slid inside the black Audi. She nodded her head towards the front of the car. "There wasn't much to choose from!" Her mind was constantly comparing this rather plain car to the one she had taken to get here: A bright yellow Porsche 911 turbo. _If it hadn't have been such a dire situation I would have actually enjoyed the ride! _She thought, though a part of her mind couldn't deny that she did a little.

I smiled at my little sister. "It's fine Alice. They can't all be 911 Turbos!"

She sighed, "I may have to acquire one of those legally. It was fabulous!"

She was so cheerful now. One of Alice's best qualities was her care-free attitude. It was because a part of her lived in a clear, pleasant and untroubled future and that was what she always focused on. Hope always existed whenever Alice was involved because she always managed to find a way, and - not for the first time – she had saved the day. I owed her my life… and more.

"I'll get you one for Christmas." I said, genuinely surprising her.

She turned towards me with a glowing smile. _No way! Thank you, thank you thank you! _She screamed at me. _But it has to be _"Yellow." She said simply.

But as she turned back to face the way of the winding road an unwelcome vision hit her… rather strongly. She didn't understand it – but unfortunately I did.

The sound of two large, thick and dense doors crashing open echoed in Alice's mind. The scene beyond them rotated and swirled in a muddled haze as the vision found a way in – the right perspective.

It focused on Chelsea's infuriated and determined expression as she marched past the now shattered door that she left in her wake. The vision then zoomed out sharply allowing both Alice and I to inspect the whole scene. Corin stood in the centre of the room, perfectly still with her eyes closed shut, with a thick mist enveloping her. Alec stood by Aro's side with focused and intense red eyes while his sibling was already sprung in mid-air heading towards her prey.

The vision blurred, leaving streaks of colour over the picture, as Chelsea growled and hurtled towards Jane. Alice's body twitched slightly as the two immortals crashed together with a force imitating a car hitting a pedestrian at 70 miles an hour. The merciless youthful vampire was completely distracted and was obviously not expecting this surprise revolt, making it an easy and very short lived battle.

Chelsea held Jane's head strongly in her arms turning it away from everyone else. It was a clever thing to do. Unlike Alec, Jane could not work her torturous talent without looking directly at her victim. But it was never an issue for her. Only some members of the guards knew. And even if someone did know, they were never able to get close enough to do it… usually.

"_Let go of me you intolerable imbecile!"_ Jane screeched, though it echoed in Alice's mind – as words always did in her visions.

Placing her hand at the back of Jane's head, Chelsea slammed it down into the marble flooring, keeping it there. The action reminded me of something that Emmett would watch on WWE. Jane attempted to protest, but all that could be heard was a mumbled jumble of words. I heard Alice laugh in her thoughts. _I bet there's a few hundred vampires who would have loved to have seen that! _

Alec lifted his head from Corin, but left his desensitizing mist hanging over her. The vision whirled above the room as he moved in an attempt to defend his sister, but Afton was already positioned in front of Chelsea. Growls and hisses erupted from the two males as they stood no more than a few metres apart, though their height and age difference looked almost comical.

A few different results of this confrontation flickered in Alice's visions until it found the correct one. The one it landed on was still blurry around the edges which usually meant that it is still not for certain.

"_Stop!" _Aro called, raising his hand to Alec, but making no attempt to move between the two of them. _"Peace, my dears, peace."_

Chelsea scoffed from behind her mate. _"There is nothing peaceful about what you are doing Aro!"_

"_Please my lovely and loyal Chelsea, let me explain." _His tone was very apologetic, though both Alice and myself were not fooled. He gestured towards Jane, silently asking Chelsea to let his sadistic minion be, before he turned his back to the mêlée behind him. _"My, my… what an interesting day."_

Chelsea ran to Afton's side, still worried about Alec's close proximity. But he just waited for Jane and then together they moved to flank Aro. Their leader turned back around and nodded to Alec, reminding him to thicken the illusion around Corin.

"_Aro… Master." _Chelsea begged. _"Please don't do this."_

"_She has broken our rules!" _Caius bellowed. _"And treason is not something we can forgive. Too much has passed through the net today." _He added, turning his head towards Aro to make his point.

"_It appears my brother wants his pound of flesh." _Aro excused.

"_But what has she done wrong, masters?" _Afton asked this time. _"She wishes to leave? Is that all?"_

Caius stood suddenly. _"She went out of her way to aid and abet three rule breakers." _He hissed. _"The longest serving member of our guard! How humiliating! And it is not for the first time! We do not offer second chances." _He repeated for the second time today.

Alice's vision started to harden, becoming clearer. It focused on Chelsea's bowed head as her eyes lifted with a new sense of confidence.

"_But we have the means to give second chances!" _She looked up to Afton. _"To start again even!"_

Caius laughed once strongly. _"It will not work! She has made that clear! Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice… shame on me." _He delivered as if he was performing a dramatic piece.

The perspective of the vision changed, swirling around the room as it moved to look over Chelsea's shoulder. From there it zoomed in on Aro's face, inspecting every detail. It returned back to Chelsea, though it wobbled unevenly. I wondered if this was how the vision conveyed Chelsea's ability. Was she strengthening Aro's tie to _her_? After all, though it was never mentioned allowed, Aro saw Chelsea as his coven's greatest commodity. Without her, no-one would fall for his lies and pretences. He needed her hundreds of times more than anybody else… as he wouldn't have anyone else if he did not have her.

_"Aro?" _She asked, wanting his opinion now.

_"I have let down my coven enough today with my wants and whims. This has to be done." _He replied, though it seemed like a false excuse.

The vision wobbled again, more so.

_"I know you Aro… I know what you will plan, to get your 'justice'… and you will need as many people as possible. You need her!"_

He looked at Chelsea for a prolonged moment, but did not answer.

The vision trembled so much that it would have been enough to make a human nauseous.

"_If you won't do it for her then do it for me. I am not like her. I do not wish to betray you! And you know that's the case." She offered her hand. "I just don't want to lose her, Aro. And I know you don't want to either… not really. Just think how useful she could be… if it came down to it. And I know you hope it will."_

I didn't know what she was referring to. What was it that Aro was planning? There was some area of his thoughts that wished for everything that was Carlisle's, but in my presence he never made a conscious decision to act upon it. So how did Chelsea know, and how did I not? And why didn't Alice?

Aro's eyes flickered many times between Chelsea, the senseless Corin and Afton. I had the feeling that the hesitation in his actions was due to the fact that he had been found out by the eternally young couple, not because his morality had suddenly been enlightened.

"_Fine! For you, my dear." _He gestured towards Afton, as though he was inviting him in._ "All yours, my talented friend." _He started to leave, obviously done with the farce.

Though both Marcus and Caius stood, preparing to leave, both Alec and Jane stayed. They're hands were clenched into tight fists. Apparently they were not done just yet.

Aro clicked his fingers once, as though he was summoning a pet dog. Both their heads snapped towards their master simultaneously and they unwillingly left with the three of them. It was possible to see Alec's artificial mist begin to disappear as he started to leave.

The vision twisted and turned again as Corin's dark eyes gradually fluttered open. She looked at the room around her as though she was seeing the world for the first time. Her eyes eventually found Chelsea's and she smiled thankfully towards her. But then she spotted Afton floating towards her, wearing an ashamed expression.

I did not have to read her mind to know that she had clicked on to what was about to happen. Her delighted appearance changed immediately into one of turmoil.

"_Take it all this time! I don't want her to be able to even remember Carlisle or his so called _'family'_! I do not care for the repercussions!" _Aro bellowed as he finally exited the hall with his brothers no more than a step behind him and Jane and Alec by their sides.

The vision became much more intimate as Afton raised both his hands until they were level by the side of Corin's head._ "I'm so sorry, Corin." _He breathed genuinely.

"_No." _Corin begged, shaking her head_. "I'd rather die! I'd rather die!" _

I watched Alice's vision intently, as if I was standing in the same room. I was on the edge of my seat as Afton paused_._ He looked across at Chelsea, like he was asking for permission from her.

"_You don't mean that Corin." _Chelsea whispered, obviously facing a tormenting decision. _"If you just let us do this then everything will go back to normal… it will be as if this day never happened!"_

Corin's laugh echoed on the walls of Alice's vision, making it rotate again with the complete contrast in her disposition. _"This day is going to go down in history! Things will never be the same again!"_ She said dramatically. _"You can see it, Chelsea! I know you can. You know this is not right. We are no longer part of the cause that we have dedicated our existence to. And we should all be ashamed for not realising it sooner."_

The vision intensified on Afton's face. _"Any immortal would be proud to be a part of this coven."_

"_Are you _proud _of what you are doing now?" _Corin whispered focussing on his hands, now hovering by his side.

"_It was my idea!" _Chelsea accentuated. _"I'd rather this than lose you forever. In a couple of minutes you'll be back to -"_

Corin smiled mordantly, taking a deep breath in to steady her voice. It was an obvious action which interrupted Chelsea's words._ "If you are valuable enough to someone then you will never be free." _Corin spoke strongly and powerfully – not at all weak and defenceless.

I wasn't sure whether she was referring to Chelsea or Aro. Perhaps it was both.

The two friends looked at each other for a long and intense moment.

It was clear to see – even through Alice's mind – that there was an internal battle going on in Chelsea's mind. She couldn't let her friend go without risking her own neck, as well as Afton's. And she couldn't stand by as Aro returned, no doubt with his sadistic crony, and finish the job himself. So that left her with one option; and Alice's vision didn't fail to show it…

"_Do it." _Chelsea ordered to her mate.

And then the vision went blank.

I looked forward into the rear-view mirror to inspect Alice's reflection. Her face was screwed up in disgust and discomfort.

_I'm sorry Edward… I can't watch anymore. That is just awful. Why were they talking about Carlisle? About us! Who was that girl? What did she do that was so wrong?_

I had seen many of Alice's thoughts and visions as Aro touched her hand. As it went through his mind, it went through mine. I was sure I had missed much – the strength of my mind was miniscule compared to his – so I did not know for sure how much Alice was aware of… I didn't know how much to tell her, or how much to save for another day.

Do I tell her that the three of us had caused more uproar in this world than it had ever seen before? Do I tell her that my presence in this city had not only put our family in danger – but another innocent immortal's? Do I tell her that if it hadn't been for Corin's help then our day would have ended very differently? Do I tell her that thanks to Corin's encouragement I had gained enough knowledge of the Volturi's inner workings to probably get us out of any situation?...

…Do I tell her of the loss of the family member that we could have had?

I owed it to Corin, and her to her lost memories… but it would have to wait for now. I didn't want to think about it anymore… for there was nothing I could do to help her, or to make things right again. The only thing I wanted to think about now was my Bella and hope that I would never lose her again.

"She sided with us." I told my sister softly, so Bella would not hear – though I was sure that she was too tired to even notice if I sang it from the top of my lungs.

My answer did not solve any of the questions roaming around in Alice's mind, but she could see my disheartened face and the depressed tone in my words and left it at that.

_I'm sorry Edward… I had no idea. She's going to live though, isn't that something?_

I did not reply for I would have agreed with Corin's wish to die rather than return back to the naive world where she believes her masters are out for only good.

Alice saw the way my eyes fell and how my faced turned away so she didn't say anything after that. Instead her thoughts drifted to Jasper and what she would say to him. Apparently they left each other four days ago on slightly sour terms. But all Alice could see in her future was his loving and accepting face. He would not be thinking or worrying about anything else apart from getting her back.

I kissed Bella gently on the head and pulled her closer.

"You can sleep now, Bella. It's over." I whispered to Bella, to Alice, to myself… and to Corin.

I didn't know how long Bella would want me to stay – or if she did at all. I was just thankful that I was able to hold her again.

Though Alice was truly the saviour of the day - I would always remember the girl who did everything she could to help us, who did everything in her power to leave… even though she would never remember me now.

I missed the girl who could have been my sister, I pitied the girl who was so close to freedom and I commiserated the girl who would be stuck in a false world for the rest of her existence. She was needed for a reason – that part was true, but not for the reason she thought she was fighting for – now she was once again just part of the iron fist that ruled our world.

"_If you are valuable enough to someone you will never be free." _She had said. But I like to think that, though it doomed her, the values and qualities that my family and I have, showed her how to be free for the first – and only time of her life.


End file.
